Naming Migraine and Those Who Have It

• Published in: Headache Vol. 52; no. 2; pp. 283 - 291
• Main Authors: Young, William B., Kempner, Joanna, Loder, Elizabeth W., Roberts, Jason, Segal, Judy Z., Solomon, Miriam, Cady, Roger K., Janoff, Laura, Sheeler, Robert D., Robert, Teri, Yocum, Jennifer, Sheftell, Fred D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malden, USA Blackwell Publishing Inc 01.02.2012; Wiley-Blackwell; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Cardiovascular system; defining migraine; Delphi technique; Headache; Headaches; Humans; Illnesses; Language; Medical sciences; Medical treatment; Migraine; Migraine Disorders - diagnosis; Migraine Disorders - psychology; Neurology; Perception; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Physicians - psychology; semantics; terminology; Terminology as Topic; Vascular diseases and vascular malformations of the nervous system; Vasodilator agents. Cerebral vasodilators; Headache; Nervous system diseases; Delphi technique; Migraine; Cardiovascular disease; Cerebral disorder; Vascular disease; Pain; Semantics; terminology; Central nervous system disease; defining migraine; Neurological disorder; Cerebrovascular disease
• ISSN: 0017-8748; 1526-4610
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1526-4610.2011.01995.x

Medical language has implications for both public perception of and institutional responses to illness. A consensus panel of physicians, academics, advocates, and patients with diverse experiences and knowledge about migraine considered 3 questions: (1) What is migraine: an illness, disease, syndrome, condition, disorder, or susceptibility? (2) What ought we call someone with migraine? (3) What should we not call someone with migraine? Although consensus was not reached, theresponses were summarized and analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. Panelists participated in writing and editing the paper. The panelists agreed that “migraine,” not “migraine headache,” was generally preferable, that migraine met the dictionary definition for each candidate moniker, terms with psychiatric valence should be avoided, and “sufferer” should be avoided except in very limited circumstances. Overall, while there was no consensus, “disease” was the preferred term in the most situations, and illness the least preferred. Panelists disagreed strongly whether one ought to use the term “migraineur” at all or if “person with migraine” was preferable. Panelists drew upon a variety of principles when considering language choices, including the extent to which candidate monikers could be defended using biomedical evidence, the cultural meaning of the proposed term, and the context within which the term would be used. Panelists strove to balance the need for terms to describe the best science on migraine, with the desire to choose language that would emphasize the credibility of migraine. The wide range of symptoms of migraine and its diverse effects may require considerable elasticity of language.