If you are an employer and have had an employee who suffered from migraines, you should know by now that migraines are a great factor in their reduced productivity and their absences. As an IL migraine chiropractor based in Rockford, the first piece of advice we would want to give bosses is to understand their employees’ medical condition. There are so many things that employers can do to help.
The Distressing Symptoms of Chronic Migraines
The first thing you must know is that the symptoms of migraines can be different from patient to patient. If you have one employee who manages to work through the day but another that always calls in sick on migraine days, keep in mind that the severity of migraines varies for every person. Migraine headaches can range from mild to severe. Migraines can also involve these symptoms:
- Sensitivity to lights, sounds, and strong smells – Having bright lighting in the office, the loud noises of heavy machinery, simultaneous typing of keyboards coming from every direction, or colleagues who wear strong perfume can trigger their migraines.
- Neck pain – Jobs that require lifting or sitting all day can contribute to this.
- Nausea and vomiting – If your employee works far from the bathroom, this can be particularly tough to deal with at work.
- Vertigo or dizziness – This makes it more challenging to work on jobs that require standing.
Other migraine symptoms that can affect your employees are a headache, blurred vision, fatigue, and diarrhea. Those with chronic migraines are at higher risk of developing anxiety disorders and depression.
To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and migraines, download our complimentary e-book by clicking the image below.
The High Cost of Migraines for Employees
Your employees with migraines face the financial burden of healthcare. According to a study conducted by the Migraine Research Foundation, a family’s medical expenses can rise by an average of 70% if one member gets migraines. Employees with migraines may also suffer from subpar quality of care when they do not get access to the right healthcare professionals. This is one reason why good health coverage is critical for migraine sufferers.
Migraines Take a Toll on Worker Productivity and Attendance
The same study reports that American employers lose $13 billion annually for the 113 million missed work days by migraine patients. Productivity may still suffer even when a migraine sufferer can make it to the office. One research study found the number of lost work hours per attack to be 8.2 hours. This implies that even a person who only gets one migraine per month loses about 12 work days per year. Most patients suffer from several migraine episodes every month, and about 4 million people have chronic migraines, meaning they suffer from migraines for more than 15 days per month.
Ways to Help Employees with Migraines
How can you provide support for your employees with chronic migraines so they can continue working efficiently in your company? Here are a few recommendations:
Be understanding.
When employees feel they are understood, they work at their best. If you force employees into coming to work with migraines or you insist that migraines are not a real medical condition, it will only add to their stress levels, making their migraines worse.
Provide an alternate work environment on migraine days.
If strong smells, bright lights, and noises from other workers aggravate your employees’ migraines, you can help them increase their productivity by providing a fragrance-free, dark, and quiet workspace. Or you can also allow your employees to work from home on days they have migraine episodes.
Provide good healthcare options.
This will guarantee that your employees get the best care for an affordable price.
Consider a job shift.
Before letting an employee go, consider transferring the person to a less stressful job that may help him or her have fewer migraine attacks.
These are just a few of the ways you can deal with having employees with migraines. About 12% of adults suffer from migraines, and this makes you very likely to face the situation in the future if you have not yet.
A Cost-Effective, Natural Treatment for Migraines
What healthcare treatment to choose is your employee’s decision to make. However, you can give recommendations. If your employee prefers a long-lasting, natural relief for migraines, upper cervical chiropractic care may be the best choice. Why?
Upper cervical chiropractors like us here at Upper Cervical Care Center – Rockford are trained to take care of the atlas (C1), the topmost bone in the spine. We use accurate measurements and diagnostic imaging to correct even the slightest misalignment of the atlas. When the atlas misaligns, it can have several effects:
- Restricted cerebrospinal fluid drainage
- Pressure on the brainstem
- Reduced blood flow to certain parts of the brain
All of these can bring on migraines. Thus, adjusting the bone and correcting the issue can help bring relief for those who suffer from chronic migraines and other headache types. If one of your employees is suffering from migraines, especially if he or she has had a neck or head injury, they are a prime candidate for receiving Rockford upper cervical chiropractic care. To learn more about this unique care, have your employee visit us or call us for a no-obligation consultation.
To schedule a consultation with Dr Schalow, call our Rockford office at 815-384-1127. You can also click the button below.
If you are outside of the local area you can find an Upper Cervical Doctor near you at www.uppercervicalawareness.com.
