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

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

Clot-busting drug tenecteplase shows promising results for stroke recovery

For people with ischemic stroke, treatment with the clot-busting drug tenecteplase is associated with a slightly higher likelihood of an excellent recovery and reduced disability three months later than the drug alteplase, according to a meta-analysis published in the October 16, 2024, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

16 Oct 2024

Simple dietary changes may help reduce migraine severity and medication use

Researchers reviewed the impact of various diets, including ketogenic and low-fat vegan, on reducing the frequency, intensity, and duration of migraine attacks, suggesting that dietary changes could complement traditional treatments.

13 Oct 2024

New magnetogenetics technology holds promise as a powerful tool for studying the brain

A new technology enables the control of specific brain circuits non-invasively with magnetic fields, according to a preclinical study from researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine, The Rockefeller University and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

10 Oct 2024

Research shows link between multiple sclerosis to increased risk of certain cancers

A new study has found some cancers to be slightly more frequent in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) than in people without MS.

9 Oct 2024

Study reveals widespread long-COVID symptoms, challenging WHO definition

Study reveals that more than one-third of SARS-CoV-2 positive patients experience long-COVID symptoms three months after an emergency department visit, with significant overlap in symptoms observed among negative patients.

1 Oct 2024

Research highlights negative brain health outcomes among LGBTQ+ individuals

LGBTQ+ people may be more likely to have negative brain health outcomes, including a higher risk of dementia and late-life depression, than people who are cisgender and straight, according to a study published in the September 25, 2024, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

25 Sep 2024

Research questions effectiveness of MS medications in slowing disability progression

In people with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study has found no difference in the amount of time before disability worsened between people taking certain medications and those not receiving treatment.

25 Sep 2024

Triptans better at relieving migraine pain than recently marketed and more expensive drugs

A meta-analysis reveals triptans as the most effective acute migraine treatments, highlighting the need for their inclusion in the WHO Essential Medicines List.

23 Sep 2024

Triptans prove to be more effective for acute migraines than newer drugs

Some triptans are a more effective treatment for acute migraines than newer, more expensive drugs, finds an analysis of the latest evidence published by The BMJ today.

18 Sep 2024

MIND diet may reduce cognitive decline risk, study suggests

People whose diet more closely resembles the MIND diet may have a lower risk of cognitive impairment, according to a study published in the September 18, 2024, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Results were similar for Black and white participants.

18 Sep 2024