A SURVEY released today by charity alliance Headache UK has revealed people living with migraine believe their careers have been adversely affected by the condition.

More than 3,000 people responded to the pioneering poll which aims to highlight the problems sufferers can have in sustaining successful careers.

Some 53% of respondents claimed their working life had suffered because of migraine. A further 29% claimed to have kept their headaches secret to avoid discrimination.

And 9% of respondents said they had been the subject of disciplinary action due to forced absences with 4% claiming to having been dismissed during their careers because of the problem.

Chairman of Headache UK, Ann Turner, said: "These numbers are truly alarming. The stories we heard in our survey support the anecdotal evidence from callers to our helpline and highlight the very personal impact of these conditions.

"We heard of employers who don't believe a sufferer is truly sick, of people not being promoted and others suffering extreme stress in the workplace because of their condition."

With an estimated 6.6 million people in the UK reporting moderate headache-related disability, the cost to the economy is significant. Studies have estimated that 90,000 people are away from work or education every day to due to headache.

However Headache UK, an alliance of five headache and migraine charities, aim to highlight the many treatments available which allow sufferers to control their condition.

Dr Andrew Dowson, from Headache UK, said: "Migraine and cluster headache are serious conditions, but informed employers know that with effective treatment and support, sufferers can continue normal working lives."

Headache UK want to promote a significant shift in how the condition is viewed by employers and employees alike.

Ms Turner added: "Almost three-quarters (71%) of people surveyed believe that non-headache sufferers use severe headaches as an excuse when they feel like a day off. This has led to a culture of suspicion around those who are real sufferers."

Headache UK aims to achieve recognition of chronic headaches as a major public health problem and promote understanding.

It also wants to secure speedy diagnosis for people who live with chronic headaches. Visit www.headacheuk.org for more details on the survey and Headache UK.

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