Migraine

A migraine is a severe headache causing pain in the front or side of the head. In the UK, migraines affect about 15% of the population and the headaches are three times more common among women than men. Migraines usually first start in young adulthood but it is possible for the headaches to start later in life.

What are Migraines?

Migraine is a severe form of headache felt as a throbbing pain at the front or side of the head. Migraines may also be accompanied by other symptoms such as a sensitivity to light or nausea.

Migraine Diagnosis

Migraine Pathophysiology

Migraine History

Economic Impact of Migraines

Can Reflexology Help Ease Migraines?

Migraine and the Heart

Migraine Symptoms

Can Meditation Help Migraines?

Migraine Treatments

Migraine research

Can Contact Lenses Cause Headaches?

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Migraine is Just like Asthma. No, Really.

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Can Weather or Air Pollution Trigger Migraine?

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Do Migraines Increase Risk of Stroke?

Body Posture and Migraines

Migraine with Aura vs. Migraine without Aura

Migraines and Dementia

What are Disease Modifying Migraine Drugs (DMMDs)?

Common Migraine Triggers

Is There a Link Between Migraine and the Gut Microbiome?

What Foods Can Cause Migraines?

Latest Migraine News and Research

Daytime sleepiness may double dementia risk in elderly women

For women in their 80s, experiencing increasing sleepiness during the day over a five-year period is associated with double the risk of developing dementia during that time, according to a study published on March 19, 2025, online in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

20 Mar 2025

Concussions in college athletes lead to brain changes lasting a year

For college athletes with concussion, brain changes may remain visible in brain scans up to a year after they are cleared to return to play, according to a study published on March 12, 2025, online in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

12 Mar 2025

Chronic stress may raise stroke risk for younger women

Some people living with chronic stress have a higher risk of stroke, according to a study published on March 5, 2025, online in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

5 Mar 2025

Over-the-counter pain medications may shorten concussion recovery time

People who take over-the-counter pain relievers after a concussion may recover faster than those who do not take pain relievers, according to a preliminary study released today, March 5, 2025, that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 77th Annual Meeting taking place April 5–9, 2025, in San Diego and online.

5 Mar 2025

Higher folic acid doses in early pregnancy improve verbal and behavioral skills in children

Taking a higher dose of folic acid during the first trimester of pregnancy was safe and associated with improved verbal abilities in children at age six as well as improved behavior skills, according to a preliminary study released today, March 4, 2025, that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 77th Annual Meeting taking place April 5–9, 2025, in San Diego and onli

4 Mar 2025

Simple algorithm may help reduce treatment disparities in multiple sclerosis

A simple treatment algorithm may help reduce treatment disparities for Hispanic and Black people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a preliminary study released today, March 3, 2025, that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 77th Annual Meeting taking place April 5–9, 2025, in San Diego and online.

3 Mar 2025

Early CPAP treatment may reduce Parkinson's disease risk in people with sleep apnea

People with obstructive sleep apnea have an increased risk of Parkinson's disease, but if started early enough, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) may reduce that risk, according to a preliminary study released today, March 2, 2025, that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 77th Annual Meeting taking place April 5–9, 2025, in San Diego and online.

2 Mar 2025

Drug may offer new hope for preventing migraines in kids and teens

For children and teens living with migraine, there may be a new preventive treatment, according to a preliminary study released today, February 26, 2025, that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 77th Annual Meeting taking place April 5–9, 2025, in San Diego and online.

26 Feb 2025

New study identifies effective blood tests for ALS diagnosis and monitoring

ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, can sometimes be difficult to diagnose or to predict how quickly the disease is likely to progress. A new study helps determine which blood tests are best at identifying and monitoring ALS.

26 Feb 2025

Smoking linked to unexplained strokes in younger adults

Smoking, particularly heavy smoking, is linked to some unexplained strokes in younger adults, mainly in male individuals and in people ages 45 to 49, according to a study published in the February 19, 2025, online issue of Neurology Open Access, an official journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

20 Feb 2025

New review maps the impact of reproductive hormones on neurological health

A comprehensive review published today in Brain Medicine by leading neuroendocrinologist Professor Hyman M. Schipper from McGill University's Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery maps out the extensive influence of reproductive hormones on neurological health and disease.

18 Feb 2025

Study suggests sun exposure during first year of life may reduce MS relapses

Getting at least 30 minutes of daily summer sun in the first year of life may mean a lower relapse risk for children who are diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) later, according to a study published on February 12, 2025, online in Neurology® Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation, an official journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

13 Feb 2025

Epidural steroid injections may offer modest short-term pain relief for some back pain

The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) has developed a new systematic review to summarize for neurologists and other clinicians the evidence for epidural steroid injections and whether they reduce pain and disability for people with certain kinds of chronic back pain.

13 Feb 2025

Systemic racism may play a role in genetic testing disparities, study suggests

For children with signs of neurological conditions such as autism, epilepsy and global developmental delay, genetic testing can help make the diagnosis, identify possible treatments and determine whether family members could be affected, among other benefits.

13 Feb 2025

Racial disparities found in migraine diagnosis for children and teens

Children and young people who are Black or Hispanic are less likely to be diagnosed with migraine than those who are white when being seen for headache in a pediatric emergency department, according to a study published in the February 5, 2025, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

5 Feb 2025

Rapid blood test could identify brain bleeds from clot-caused strokes

A blood test may rapidly distinguish brain bleeds from clot-caused strokes, even before people with stroke symptoms reach the emergency room, according to a preliminary study to be presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2025.

30 Jan 2025

Fluctuating cholesterol linked to higher risk of dementia in older adults

Older adults whose cholesterol changes over time may be more likely to develop dementia than people whose cholesterol is stable, regardless of the actual cholesterol level, according to a study published in the January 29, 2025, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

29 Jan 2025

Mental health risks higher for pregnant people with MS

Pregnant people with multiple sclerosis (MS) have a higher chance of experiencing mental illness both during their pregnancy and in the first years after they give birth than those without MS, according to a study published in the January 22, 2025 online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

22 Jan 2025

Unmasking the gender bias in Tourette syndrome diagnosis

Tourette syndrome is currently diagnosed about three times more frequently in males than in females. A new study finds that female individuals are less likely to be diagnosed with the syndrome, take longer to receive a diagnosis and are older when they are diagnosed than male individuals. The study is published in the January 15, 2025, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

16 Jan 2025

Wait times for neurological specialty care vary across conditions

Older people wait an average of just over a month to see a neurologist for specialty care after being referred by their primary care physician or another physician, according to a study published in the January 8, 2025, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

8 Jan 2025