October marks Facial Pain Awareness Month, and in this deeply personal episode, I share my journey living with trigeminal neuralgia (TN) alongside the staggering reality that 3.1 billion people globally are affected by headache disorders.
📊 Did you know?
3.1 billion people live with headache disorders worldwide (40% of global population).
Migraine affects ~1.1 billion people and is among the leading causes of disability.
Facial pain disorders like TN, occipital neuralgia, and orofacial pain often overlap with headache conditions.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
✔️ My personal story of diagnosis, flare-ups, stigma, and resilience
✔️ Why awareness matters: for better diagnosis, empathy, and care
✔️ The work of the Facial Pain Association (FPA USA) and advocacy (including their collaborations for migraine/facial pain policy)
✔️ Encouragement for those walking with invisible pain
Whether you live with facial pain, migraines, or want to support someone who does — I hope this episode offers you validation, hope, and a reminder: you are not alone.
📚 Resources & Links
🌐 Facial Pain Association: https://www.facepain.org
📖 My memoir But You Look Just Fine: www.micheleroys.com/book
💌 Let’s connect: Instagram @michroys
👉 I would love to know: What’s one thing you wish people understood about facial pain or migraines? Drop it in the comments below — your story could be the encouragement someone else needs.
If this helped you, please like, share, and subscribe so more people can find hope and awareness.