Mutated Gene Connected To Sleep Has An Impact On Migraines

I believe the X-men and I have something in common, Mutated genes. Unfortunately my superpower is a bad nights sleep and a migraine. My first migraine came when I was 8. I remember how lights and sounds would hurt my eyes, ears and brain. Fast forward a few years, the migraine flood gates opened and never closed. At one point during the 5th grade I would bounce from class and the nurses office daily. Both my teachers and parents thought I was just overreacting to a head ache. As I got older and the doctor diagnosed me with migraines. Here are just some of the treatments I was prescribed: More caffein, Less Caffein, one once of water every 15 minuets, and an mild antidepressant to help what was believed as bad dreams causing my migraines. All of these treatments were prescribed by medical doctors. None of them really worked. I have also been a light sleeper all my life. If I sleep at all, I need something to drowned out the sounds of the night to keep me from waking every 5 minuets.

So when reading a article on npr.org about the connection between a mutated sleep gene and migraines. I have a revived faith in science. While in grade school in the 90's, scientist Emily Bates suffered from symptoms of migraines. She told npr:

Loud sounds and light kind of hurt my eyes and my ears and my head," she says. Moving or applying any sort of pressure to her skin also hurt.

Sounds familiar right? she also said:

because back then, in the 1990s, no one could tell her much about what was causing her migraines or how to stop them

This was her reason for perusing migraine research. The good news is now that there is a connection between this mutated gene and migraines, researcher can look at a better treatment. Hopefully we will no long have to deal with crack pot remedies.