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

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

Twelve factors to protect brain health in the New Year

Improving your brain health in the new year can start with a simple step, talking with your neurologist or primary care physician about 12 factors to protect your brain.

23 Dec 2024

New migraine drug atogepant shows quick relief

A drug recently approved to prevent migraine may start working right away, according to a study published in the December 23, 2024, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

23 Dec 2024

COVID-19 infection not associated with worsening MS symptoms or disability

For people with multiple sclerosis (MS), having a COVID-19 infection is not associated with worsening MS symptoms or disability, according to a study published in the December 23, 2024, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

23 Dec 2024

Sleep disruptions may increase brain volume in the hippocampus

People with breathing problems during sleep may have a larger hippocampus, the area of the brain responsible for memory and thinking, according to a study published in the December 18, 2024, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

18 Dec 2024

Study finds no link between antibiotic use and cognitive decline in older adults

For healthy older adults, using antibiotics is not associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment or dementia, according to a study published in the December 18, 2024, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

18 Dec 2024

Nutraceuticals: exploring potential benefits and challenges of an unregulated healthcare frontier

Nutraceuticals offer potential health benefits, from migraine relief to cognitive support, but safety and regulatory issues must be addressed for effective use.

18 Dec 2024

Blood pressure fluctuations linked to problems with thinking and memory skills

Older adults whose blood pressure fluctuates over time may be more likely to have problems with thinking and memory skills, according to a study published in the December 11, 2024, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

11 Dec 2024

Study links combined risk factors for aggressive behavior in men with CTE

People who have chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) who have a family history of mental illness may have a higher risk of aggression in middle age, according to a study published in the November 27, 2024, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

27 Nov 2024

Childhood social disadvantage linked to increased MS severity

People who develop multiple sclerosis (MS) as children and grow up in less advantaged neighborhoods may have a larger volume of inflammation and brain tissue loss on imaging than those who grow up in more advantaged neighborhoods, according to a study published in the November 27, 2024, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

27 Nov 2024

Cryoablation for PFO closure in AF patients undergoing PVI

New research shows that cryoablation is a safe and effective approach to close congenital patent foramen ovale (PFO, a small hole in the heart) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) undergoing pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) in a single procedure.

27 Nov 2024

Pandemic increases depression risk for older adults living with migraine

A recent longitudinal study from the University of Toronto reveals the mental health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on older adults living with migraine.

21 Nov 2024

Telemedicine use in neurology affected by race and neighborhood disparities

For people seeing a neurologist, their age, race, ethnicity and neighborhood may play a role in whether they do so in person or virtually, via telemedicine, according to a study published in the November 20, 2024, online issue of Neurology® Clinical Practice , an official journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

20 Nov 2024

High blood pressure, atrial fibrillation and smoking linked to severe stroke risk

People with conditions or habits such as high blood pressure, an irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation, or smoking, not only have a higher risk of stroke, they may also have more severe strokes than people without these risk factors, according to a study published in the November 13, 2024, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

13 Nov 2024

Daytime sleepiness and low enthusiasm may be linked to motoric cognitive risk syndrome

Older people who are sleepy during the day or lack enthusiasm for activities due to sleep issues may be more likely to develop a syndrome that can lead to dementia, according to a study published in the November 6, 2024, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

6 Nov 2024

Healthy habits in middle age may protect against neurological conditions

In middle-aged people, having risk factors like blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol that are not well-controlled combined with not following certain healthy habits including exercise, diet and sleep, are linked to a higher risk of stroke, dementia or depression later in life, according to a study published in the October 23, 2024, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

23 Oct 2024

Poor sleep quality linked to increased brain aging in middle age

People in early middle age who have poor sleep quality, including having difficulty falling or staying asleep, have more signs of poor brain health in late middle age, according to a study published in the October 23, 2024, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

23 Oct 2024

Migraines linked to healthy vascular system despite cardiovascular risk factors

The study links cardiovascular health to migraine activity, showing that lower risk scores are associated with higher migraine likelihood, especially in women.

23 Oct 2024

Mental health problems lead to greater productivity loss than other chronic conditions

Depression and other mental health issues reduce the number of productivity-adjusted life years (PALYs) more than musculoskeletal diseases or cardiovascular diseases, according to a recent joint study by the University of Eastern Finland, the Finnish Social Insurance Institution (Kela), and Monash University in Australia.

21 Oct 2024