Living with Migraine with Unilateral Motor Symptoms (MUMS): Cannon’s Inspiring Migraine Journey

Living with migraine disease often means fighting two battles every day: managing debilitating symptoms and navigating a world that doesn’t always understand. On this episode of The Migraine Circle Podcast by CEFALY, we sat down with Cannon — better known as @MigraineBabe — to hear her powerful journey of resilience, joy, and strength while living with MUMS migraine (Migraine with Unilateral Motor Symptoms).

What is MUMS migraine? Understanding Migraine with Unilateral Motor Symptoms

Migraine with Unilateral Motor Symptoms (MUMS) is a rare yet underdiagnosed form of migraine disease. It’s often confused with hemiplegic migraine or mistakenly labeled as “complex migraine.”

Unlike typical migraine aura — where symptoms unfold sequentially — MUMS symptoms hit all at once, causing weakness (hemiparesis), tingling (paresthesia), visual disturbances, speech challenges, and disrupted spatial awareness. Many people living with MUMS continue to experience these symptoms even between attacks, making it a uniquely challenging form of chronic migraine.

Cannon’s long road to a MUMS diagnosis

Cannon’s journey toward a proper MUMS diagnosis took eight years. Initially labeled as vestibular migraine and intractable aura, her evolving symptoms confused many specialists — until she met Dr. William B. Young, MD, a professor of neurology at Thomas Jefferson University and a physician at the Jefferson Headache Center. Dr. Young is the neurologist who who first identified and published research on MUMS.

Receiving an accurate diagnosis brought clarity and critical information: while her symptoms are severe and stroke-like, MUMS does not carry the same stroke risk that other migraine subtypes might.

“Understanding what’s happening to your body makes it less scary — and empowers you to advocate for yourself.” — Cannon

How Cannon manages MUMS: A comprehensive treatment approach

Living with chronic MUMS migraine requires a powerful, multi-layered treatment strategy. Cannon’s preventive and acute care plan includes:

• Daily medications like Diamox, Namenda^Ⓡ, and Savella^Ⓡ
  
• Botox^Ⓡ injections for migraine prevention
  
• CGRP inhibiting infusions (Vyepti^Ⓡ)
  
• Neuromodulation devices including CEFALY and a vagus nerve stimulator
  
• Annual inpatient infusion treatments to recalibrate symptoms
  

CEFALY is Cannon’s first line of defense during migraine attacks, providing calming neuromodulation support before moving into additional acute treatments.

Why Cannon uses CEFALY for migraine relief

Cannon first learned about CEFALY through social media and decided to try it after discussing it with her specialist. For her, low-intensity sessions work best, and the device has become a key part of her migraine attack management.

"I always start with neuromodulation first. It's calming, grounding, and essential to my routine."

CEFALY is available without a prescription, and so it’s accessible to anyone seeking proactive migraine care.

Finding joy while living with chronic migraine

Cannon’s daily routine is centered around finding joy in small, grounding activities, despite the challenges of chronic migraine:

• Getting dressed and putting on makeup every day
  
• Spending time with her dog, focusing on trick training for fun
  
• Tending to her garden and connecting with nature
  
• Prioritizing adventures with friends, even on difficult days
  

Joyful rituals aren’t just about distraction. They are essential tools for resilience, helping her feel connected to her life beyond migraine.

Advice for anyone newly diagnosed with MUMS migraine

For anyone newly diagnosed with MUMS or feeling isolated by migraine disease, Cannon shared two powerful recommendations:

1. Learn everything you can: Knowledge about MUMS reduces fear and empowers you to advocate for aggressive, effective treatment.
   
2. Get involved in migraine advocacy: Advocacy work builds community, strengthens your understanding, and helps you push back against stigma and misinformation.
   

“The more we lift our voices together, the stronger our community becomes.”

Final thoughts for your migraine journey

Cannon’s story is a reminder that living with MUMS migraine demands extraordinary resilience — but it also shows that hope, strength, and joy are within reach.

Patients often ask: Can I use CEFALY for MUMS? CEFALY's effectiveness for treating MUMS has not been studied. CEFALY is indicated for the acute treatment of migraine with or without aura and the preventative treatment of migraine. 

If you have MUMS and want to use CEFALY, talk to your healthcare provider. Our 90-day guarantee means you can try CEFALY risk-free! Use the device as directed, and if it doesn't work for you, you may return it within 90 days of purchase.

Ready to explore how CEFALY could support your migraine management? Order your CEFALY device today.

And be sure to follow Cannon at @MigraineBabe for honest, empowering content that helps amplify the voice of the migraine community.

You are not alone. You are strong. Better days are possible.