Could You Run the Country With a Migraine?

News that the presidential candidate Michelle Bachmann suffers from severe migraines has suddenly cast the headache disorder in a new light.

Every migraine sufferer knows the pain, nausea and other symptoms that cause such misery. Symptoms can be debilitating, and many sufferers take refuge in darkened rooms or make trips to the emergency room for treatments to relieve the nausea and pain.

In a video that went viral, the television reporter Serene Branson babbled gibberish during a live report from the Grammy awards. Her doctor later concluded a complex migraine had rendered her unable to form words.

While the suffering caused by migraine is well documented, now the question is whether migraines represent a handicap.

Robert Dalton, executive director of the National Headache Foundation in Chicago, said that while migraine can be debilitating, the larger problem is that many people who suffer from it aren’t getting proper medical care.

“What we want to make sure people understand is that it’s a debilitating disease when it’s not managed properly,’’ said Mr. Dalton. “From that standpoint, our position would be that a well-managed migraine circumstance would not prevent anybody from taking on any challenge that they wanted to.”

Tell us what you think. If you have experienced migraines, have they affected your job performance? Would a president with migraines be able to do his or her job effectively? Join the discussion below.