Doctors should prescribe triptans for migraine patients who aren’t receiving relief from over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers, according to a new clinical guideline from the American College of Physicians.
The recommendation is based on an evidence review showing that adding a triptan to either a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) or acetaminophen worked better to quell m...
A migraine drug can help stop the devastating headaches in their tracks, allowing sufferers to go about their daily lives with little to no symptoms, a new clinical trial has found.
People who took ubrogepant (Ubrelvy) were 73% more likely to say ...
High blood pressure might increase a woman’s odds of suffering migraines, a new study finds.
Specifically, high diastolic blood pressure is linked to a slightly higher risk of women ever having a migraine, researchers reported July 31 in the journal
When there's pain, pressure and pounding in your head, you might think the worst: Is it a brain tumor?
Probably not, a Penn State physician assures.
Headache in and of itself is not a common sign of a tumor, because the brain itself doesn't feel pain, said Dr. John Messmer, medical director at Penn State H...
Climate change is likely to make brain conditions like stroke, migraine, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy and multiple sclerosis even worse, a new review warns.
The potential effects of a changing climate is likely to be substantial on a range of neurological conditions, researche...
People taking heartburn meds have a higher risk of migraines and other types of severe headaches, a new study warns.
All classes of acid-reducing drugs -- proton pump inhibitors, H2 blockers, and even antacids -- appear to promote an increased risk of migraine and headache, results show.
"Given the wide usage of acid-reducing drugs and these potential implications with migraine, the...
Among U.S. women with migraine, a third say the attacks tend to coincide with their periods, a new survey finds.
Migraines that occur during menstruation are often frequent and severe, but only about one in five respondents said they used medications aimed at preventing the headaches.
"If you have migraines related to your menstrual cycle, discuss this with your gynecologist or neu...
Migraines in young adults appear to increase their risk of stroke more than traditional risk factors like high blood pressure, a new study reports.
Results show that migraine is the most important non-traditional risk factor for stroke among adults ages 18 to 34, accounting for 20% of strokes in men and nearly 35% in women.
Overall, non-traditional risk factors were associated with ...
Astronauts who have never had headaches may develop migraines and other tension-type headaches for the first time when they go into space.
A side effect of zero gravity, these headaches start with motion sickness as astronauts adapt to long-haul space flight, according to new research published March 13 in the journal
Vaping and skipped meals appear to be the main causes of frequent headaches among teens, a new study says.
Teens who ate breakfast and dinner with their family had a lower risk of frequent headaches than those who regularly missed meals, researchers report Feb. 28 in the journal Neurology.
Meanwhile, vaping also was associated with frequent headaches for those 12 to 17, res...
As if painful migraines, hot flashes and night sweats weren't bad enough, many women in menopause are facing a significantly bigger threat.
New research suggests that women with both migraines and vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes and night sweats) are significantly more likely to develop heart disease or have a stroke.
"There is a critical need to further refine existing cardiovascul...
Factors like sleep, energy levels and stress can predict the onset of a migraine headache, a new study finds.
Those factors differed from the morning to the afternoon and evening, however.
Poor perceived sleep quality, lower-than-usual quality of sleep and lower-than-usual energy levels are associated with a morning migraine, according to the report published online Jan. 24 in the j...
Migraine sufferers would do better to talk to their doctor about a prescription drug than reaching for a bottle of ibuprofen, a new study finds.
Drugs like triptans, ergots and anti-emetics can be two to five times more effective for treating migraines than ibuprofen, according to a report published Nov. 30 in the journal Neurology.
Psilocybin, the active ingredient in "magic" mushrooms, is getting renewed interest as a potential treatment for various health conditions. Now, a new research review argues that migraines should be added to that list.
Psilocybin mushrooms have long been used recreationally as hallucinogens -- meaning they alter users' perceptions of their surroundings. That can lead to euphoria on one en...
A nasal spray containing ketamine might help relieve migraine headaches when other treatments fail, a new study suggests.
Ketamine is a synthetic anesthetic with hallucinogenic effects that is sometimes used intravenously for migraine headaches. It's being tried for treatment-resistant depression, too. But it's also a potentially addictive "party" drug so it is not for everyone.
Your body's internal clock appears to play a big part in the time of day when severe headaches happen.
Migraines and cluster headaches have different characteristics and treatments, but experts have long noted that they share key features: Both are neurological diseases in their own right, rather than symptoms of another underlying condition. And because neither can be easily identified ...
Migraine sufferers will soon have a new treatment option that works more quickly and may be safer for people at risk of heart attack or stroke.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Pfizer Inc.'s zavegepant (Zavzpret), a nasal spray meant to treat severe headache pain, the company announced Friday.
"The FDA approval of Zavzpret marks a significant breakthrough for peop...
Many women experience blinding migraine headaches around their monthly period, and now researchers have a clue about why.
Levels of the female hormone estrogen fluctuate during menstruation, which may lead to increases in calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). This protein widens blood vessels in the brain, which is part of the cascade of events that cause migraines.
Having short, painful headaches for many days or even weeks in a row may signal that you're more likely to have other medical woes, researchers say.
These "cluster headaches" are extremely painful and can last from 15 minutes to three hours at a time. And people who have them may be more than three times more likely to have other medical conditions, such as heart disease or mental disorde...
A history of migraine headaches could make a woman more prone to pregnancy complications, such as issues with blood pressure or preterm birth, according to a new study.
"We now know migraines may be an underrecognized risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes," said study co-author Dr. Natalie Bello, director of hypertension research in the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai in Los An...
If you suffer from headaches, you have plenty of company.
Headaches afflict half of the world's population, and women are more likely to get them than men, a new paper says.
"We found that the prevalence of headache disorders remains high worldwide and the burden of different types may impact many. We should endeavor to reduce this burden through prevention and better treatment," sa...
Do migraines cause poor sleep or does poor sleep cause migraines?
Though it's hard to say, it does appear that there's a difference in how well people with migraine think they sleep and how well they really do.
A large research analysis published online Sept. 22 in the journal Neurology found that adults and children with migraine headaches may get less quality REM sleep t...
Women with a history of migraine headaches may suffer severe hot flashes during menopause, and this combo may boost their risk for heart disease, researchers say.
Migraine doesn't cause more or worse hot flashes -- or vice versa. But both are believed to be related to changes in blood vessels known as neurovascular dysregulation, according to Dr. Stephanie Faubion, medical director of the...
