#Migraine12Stories: every migraine has its own story
Migraine is one of the most common neurological diseases in the world — and one of the most misunderstood. Too often it is dismissed as “just a headache,” a phrase that erases the very real physical, emotional and social toll it takes on millions of people every single day.
This 12 September, on the European Migraine Day of Action, IMHA — the International Migraine & Headache Alliance — is asking one simple question: what does migraine really mean to you? Because every migraine has its own story, and now you can tell yours better than ever.
Eleven stories are already told. The twelfth is yours.
We’ve gathered eleven testimonies from people living with migraine — eleven honest accounts of what the disease means in everyday life. But one story is still missing. The twelfth. And it belongs to every single person who lives with migraine.
That story is yours.
What better day to tell it than 12 September? Put together, these individual voices turn an invisible condition into something impossible to ignore.
What is the Migraine Scoring System?
The Migraine Scoring System is a free, scientifically validated communication tool, available in 15 languages at scoring.emhalliance.org.
It is not a diagnostic tool. In four short questions it helps you identify your Migraine Level — a simple way to understand your own experience and to have clearer, more meaningful conversations with your doctor. It doesn’t replace a clinician; it helps you talk to one. And it’s the perfect starting point for telling your story.
Add your story on 12 September
On the European Migraine Day of Action, IMHA invites people all over the world to take part in a few simple steps:
- Complete the Migraine Scoring System at scoring.emhalliance.org.
- Discover your Migraine Level.
- Capture it — take a screenshot of your result, or use the campaign badge.
- Share a selfie or a portrait.
- Complete the sentence: “For me, migraine means…”
For example:
“For me, migraine means missing family gatherings.” “For me, migraine means planning my whole life around the next attack.”
Your Migraine Level gives context, not comparison. Sharing is always your choice, and it works at whatever level of openness feels right for you.
Hundreds of stories, one global movement
Every person with migraine has a story — and together, hundreds of individual stories build a single global movement. One that policymakers, healthcare professionals and the wider public can no longer overlook.
Migraine deserves to be recognised as the serious neurological disease it is, with proper diagnosis and access to treatment for everyone who needs it.
This 12 September, tell us yours.
Take the test. Find your Migraine Level. Share your story. scoring.emhalliance.org · #Migraine12Stories · #MigraineBetterUnderstood
