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 and the Heart

Migraine is Just like Asthma. No, Really.

Is There a Link Between Migraine and the Gut Microbiome?

Does Exercise Help or Worsen Migraines?

Can Contact Lenses Cause Headaches?

Migraines and Dementia

Migraine Diagnosis

Migraine History

Migraine with Aura vs. Migraine without Aura

Migraine Treatments

What Foods Can Cause Migraines?

See more featured articles »

Can Reflexology Help Ease Migraines?

Migraine Pathophysiology

Can Weather or Air Pollution Trigger Migraine?

Migraine research

Common Migraine Triggers

Body Posture and Migraines

Do Migraines Increase Risk of Stroke?

Differences Between an Aneurysm and Migraine

Economic Impact of Migraines

Migraine Symptoms

What are Disease Modifying Migraine Drugs (DMMDs)?

Can Meditation Help Migraines?

Latest Migraine News and Research

Ketogenic diets may lower migraine frequency and medication use

This narrative review argues that the migraine brain is hypometabolic, with converging evidence of mitochondrial dysfunction, impaired glucose handling, neuroinflammation, microbiome shifts, and obesity-related pathways. It proposes ketogenic diets as a plausible preventive strategy that may reduce monthly migraine days and medication use, while emphasizing the need for larger, rigorous randomized trials and careful clinical oversight.

14 Sep 2025

Chronic insomnia linked to faster cognitive decline and brain changes

People with chronic insomnia may experience faster declines in memory and thinking skills as they age-along with brain changes that can be seen on imaging scans-than people who do not have chronic insomnia, according to a study published in the September 10, 2025, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

10 Sep 2025

Study links high intake of artificial sweeteners to faster cognitive decline

Some sugar substitutes may come with unexpected consequences for long-term brain health, according to a study published in the September 3, 2025, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

3 Sep 2025

Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander people face highest stroke rates in the U.S.

A new study found that Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander people had the highest rate of stroke among people from other race and ethnic groups, with a rate more than three times higher than that of white people.

28 Aug 2025

Hormone therapy type may influence postmenopausal cognitive health

The type of estradiol-based hormone therapy taken during and after menopause, such as patches or pills, may be associated with differences in memory performance, according to a study published on August 27, 2025, in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

28 Aug 2025

Transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation shows promise for gastrointestinal disorders

Imbalanced autonomic function, characterized by reduced vagal activity and sympathetic dominance, is increasingly recognized in various gastrointestinal (GI) disorders.

27 Aug 2025

Metabolic syndrome linked to higher risk of Parkinson's disease

Having a larger waistline, high blood pressure and other risk factors that make up metabolic syndrome is associated with an increased risk of Parkinson's disease, according to a study published on August 20, 2025, in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

20 Aug 2025

Pregnancy complications may signal early stroke risk

Experiencing complications during pregnancy is linked with a higher risk of stroke before age 50, according to a study published August 6, 2025, in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

6 Aug 2025

UCSF research maps over 600 conditions linked to endometriosis

Records from millions of patients at UC health centers found correlations between endometriosis, one of the most common diseases in women, and a bounty of other diseases.

31 Jul 2025

Study finds continued use of risky antiseizure drugs during pregnancy

Despite evidence of the risk of malformations at birth, or birth defects, use of some antiseizure drugs during pregnancy has persisted, according to a study published on July 23, 2025, in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

24 Jul 2025

Hispanic people more likely to develop peripheral neuropathy than white adults

Hispanic people have an increased risk of peripheral neuropathy compared to white people that cannot be explained by many health, lifestyle and social risk factors, according to a study published July 16, 2025, in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

16 Jul 2025

Taking specific antiseizure drugs during pregnancy linked to increased risk of malformations at birth

A new study that examined older and newer medications to treat seizures has found that using some medications during pregnancy is linked to an increased risk of malformations at birth, or birth defects.

16 Jul 2025

Medieval remedies show surprising parallels to modern wellness trends

It turns out the Dark Ages weren't all that dark! According to new research, medieval medicine was way more sophisticated than previously thought, and some of its remedies are trending today on TikTok.

16 Jul 2025

Scientists discover pathway linking physical pain to emotional suffering

Pain isn't just a physical sensation-it also carries emotional weight. That distress, anguish, and anxiety can turn a fleeting injury into long-term suffering.

10 Jul 2025

Could serotonin supplements become the next hair loss treatment?

Researchers have shown that serotonin directly stimulates dermal papilla cells and promotes hair growth in lab-grown hair follicloids and human hair follicles. The findings suggest serotonin and related compounds could offer new avenues for treating hair loss, though safety and dosing challenges remain.

9 Jul 2025

Sleep deficiency worsens pain mechanisms in migraine sufferers

The mechanisms in the brain that should reduce pain don’t work as well in people with migraine when they haven’t gotten enough sleep.

26 Jun 2025

Living in disadvantaged neighborhoods linked to Alzheimer’s biomarkers

People living in more disadvantaged neighborhoods may be more likely to have biomarkers for inflammation and Alzheimer's disease, according to a study published June 25, 2025, in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

26 Jun 2025

Diabetes medication shows promise in cutting migraine days by more than half

A diabetes medication that lowers brain fluid pressure has cut monthly migraine days by more than half, according to a new study presented today at the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Congress 2025.

20 Jun 2025

Sleep deprivation alters brain response to pain in migraine sufferers

For the first time, researchers have studied what happens in the brains of people who have migraines when they haven't slept enough.

19 Jun 2025

Brain age gap may influence the relationship between cognitive impairment risk factors

The difference between the brain's predicted age and actual chronological age, called a brain age gap, may influence the relationship between cognitive impairment risk factors, like high blood pressure and diabetes, and a person's cognitive performance, also known as thinking and memory skills, according to a study published June 18, 2025, in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

19 Jun 2025