Join the 'Migraine' group to help and get support from people like you. How it works

Health Tip: What Triggers Your Migraines?

Posted 5 days ago by Drugs.com

-- The exact cause of migraines isn't fully understood, but experts have identified certain "triggers" that seem to bring on these headaches in many people. The Womenshealth.gov website says common migraine triggers include: Too much or too little sleep. Missing meals. Changes in weather. Exposure to loud noise, strong smells or bright light. Menstruation-related hormonal changes. Anxiety and/or stress. Certain foods or ingredients, such as caffeine, alcohol, nitrates, MSG, tyramine or artificial sweeteners. Read more

Related support groups: Migraine

Health Tip: Log Migraine Details in a Diary

Posted 9 days ago by Drugs.com

-- Tracking your migraines can better prepare you to prevent or treat these often-debilitating headaches. The Womenshealth.gov website suggests what to log in a headache diary: The date, time and duration of your migraine. What you were doing and where you were when the migraine began. Anything you drank or ate within 24 hours of the migraine. If you are a woman, the duration of your menstrual period. Read more

Related support groups: Migraine

Two-Drug Combo Helps Teens With Migraines

Posted 12 days ago by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, May 15 – A two-drug combination that relieves migraines in adults also works well in adolescents, new research indicates. Although the findings basically support what doctors are already doing, "it is nice to have this officially shown in a study in adolescents," said Dr. Ellen Drexler, associate director of neurology at Maimonides Medical Center in New York City. Because the combination of Imitrex (sumatriptan) and naproxen sodium (Aleve and other brand names) isn't approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for this age group, doctors must prescribe it "off label" to adolescents. "There are no FDA-approved abortive [migraine] treatments for children," said Dr. Noah Rosen, director of the Headache Center at the Cushing Neuroscience Institute in Great Neck, N.Y. "This is the first really large-scale abortive treatment study for adolescents." The study, funded ... Read more

Related support groups: Migraine, Naproxen, Aleve, Imitrex, Sumatriptan, Naprosyn, Naprelan, Naprelan '375', Anaprox, Imitrex Statdose, Imitrex Statdose Refill, Anaprox-DS, Naprelan '500', Naproxen Sodium DS, Aflaxen

Migraines More Likely for People With Celiac Disease, Study Says

Posted 3 May 2012 by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, May 3 – Migraine headaches are more likely to plague people with celiac disease than those without it, according to new research. The connection between the digestive tract and the brain has been studied in Europe, but this is the first time American researchers have linked celiac disease and other bowel problems with migraines, said study co-author Dr. Alexandra Dimitrova. "We found significantly higher prevalence of headaches in patients with celiac disease compared to those without it," said Dimitrova, a neurology resident at the Neurological Institute at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease that affects one out of every 133 people in the United States, according to the Celiac Disease Foundation. People with the condition can't eat pizza, pastries and other foods that contain wheat gluten. Symptoms include stomach ... Read more

Related support groups: Migraine, Celiac Disease

Children Usually Excluded From Clinical Drug Trials: Study

Posted 30 Apr 2012 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, April 30 – Children are more likely than adults to suffer from a number of diseases, but few clinical trials are conducted to test new drugs in children with these conditions, researchers have found. In a new study, researchers looked at all clinical trials registered worldwide from 2006 to 2011 for drugs to treat these common conditions: asthma, migraine headaches, schizophrenia, depression, diarrheal illness, lower respiratory infection, malaria, bipolar disorder and HIV/AIDS. While children account for 60 percent of the patients with these conditions, only 12 percent of the clinical drug trials involved children, the investigators found. The gap was widest for conditions that are widespread in low- and middle-income countries. Clinical drug trials in children are important because youngsters often respond differently to medications than adults, the study authors pointed out ... Read more

Related support groups: Bipolar Disorder, Migraine, Asthma, Diarrhea, Schizophrenia, HIV Infection, Malaria

Botox Offers Little Relief for Migraine, Study Finds

Posted 24 Apr 2012 by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, April 24 – Botox is considered a preventive medication for debilitating migraine headaches, but a new review finds that it may only help people with chronic migraines or chronic daily headaches. And, even then, the effect appears to only be "small to modest." The review found that Botox (botulinum toxin A) was no help for people with episodic migraines (fewer than 15 a month) or chronic tension-type headaches. "Our analyses suggest that botulinum toxin A may be associated with improvement in the frequency of chronic migraine and chronic daily headaches, but not with improvement in the frequency of episodic migraine, chronic tension-type headaches or episodic tension-type headaches. However, the association of botulinum toxin A with clinical benefit was small," wrote the authors of the review. Still, the review's lead author, Dr. Jeffrey Jackson, said, "If I was having more ... Read more

Related support groups: Headache, Migraine, Botox, New Daily Persistent Headache, Botox Cosmetic, Onabotulinumtoxina

Migraine Guidelines: What Works, What Doesn't

Posted 23 Apr 2012 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, April 23 – Dozens of medications are available to prevent debilitating migraine headaches, but most migraine sufferers don't use them, a new study finds. "Approximately 40 percent of people with migraines need preventive treatment, and only about one-third of them are actually getting it," said Dr. Stephen D. Silberstein, co-author of new guidelines developed by the American Academy of Neurology and the American Headache Society. The drugs include prescription, over-the-counter and herbal medications. Which will work best "depends on the patient," said Silberstein, director of the Jefferson Headache Center at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. The guidelines, published in the April 24 issue of Neurology, were scheduled for presentation at the academy's annual meeting in New Orleans, April 21 to 28. Dr. Brian M. Grosberg, director of the Montefiore Headache Center in ... Read more

Related support groups: Depression, Migraine, Effexor, Lamictal, Metoprolol, Topamax, Depakote, Effexor XR, Ibuprofen, Epilepsy, Naproxen, Migraine Prevention, Venlafaxine, Advil, Propranolol

'Ice Cream Headaches' Might Offer Clues to Migraines

Posted 22 Apr 2012 by Drugs.com

SUNDAY, April 22 – That "brain freeze" headache you experience when eating ice cream or other cold foods may be caused by a sudden change in brain blood flow, researchers report. What's more, the new research might point to targets to treat other, more troubling forms of headache such as migraine, the U.S. team said. In the study, the scientists monitored brain blood flow in 13 healthy adults as they sipped ice water through a straw pressed against the upper palate so as to trigger "brain freeze." The results suggest that these transient headaches are triggered by a sudden increase in blood flow in the brain's anterior cerebral artery. Brain freeze disappears again when this artery constricts, the study found. The findings, to be presented Sunday at the Experimental Biology meeting in San Francisco, may help lead to new treatments for other types of headaches, the researchers said. ... Read more

Related support groups: Migraine

Migraines May Raise a Woman's Odds of Depression

Posted 22 Feb 2012 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 22 – As if the debilitating headaches weren't bad enough, women who get migraines or have had them in the past are at increased risk for depression, a new study suggests. Migraines are intense, throbbing headaches often accompanied by nausea and sensitivity to light or sound. They are three times more common in women than in men. The study, by researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, suggests that women with any history of migraines were about 40 percent more likely to develop depression than women without a similar history. "We believe the most important aspect of our study is that migraine patients and their physicians should keep this potential link in mind," said senior study author Dr. Tobias Kurth, a neuroepidemiologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Kurth noted that doctors who treat patients who have migraines might consider asking some specific ... Read more

Related support groups: Depression, Migraine

Power of Acupuncture to Ease Migraines Questioned in Study

Posted 9 Jan 2012 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, Jan. 9 – "Sham" acupuncture worked almost as well on migraine patients as three types of traditional acupuncture, a new study says. Randomly assigning 480 patients to one of four groups at nine Chinese hospitals – one sham acupuncture group and three receiving accepted types – an international team of researchers, including Dr. Fan-rong Liang at Chengdu University in China, found that between 50 percent and 75 percent of those with migraines felt better after sham or real acupuncture, respectively, after 16 weeks. Many prior randomized trials have supported acupuncture's effectiveness in treating migraines, which affect up to 8 percent of men and 18 percent of women in the United States and England, according to background information in the study. But the researchers noted evidence is mixed on whether the treatment produces a placebo effect in patients or actually alleviates ... Read more

Related support groups: Migraine

Regular Exercise Seems to Guard Against Migraine

Posted 12 Oct 2011 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 12 – Exercise can prevent migraines just as well as drugs or relaxation techniques, a new study from Sweden suggests. "Our conclusion is that exercise can act as an alternative to relaxations and [the migraine drug] topiramate when it comes to preventing migraines, and is particularly appropriate for patients who are unwilling or unable to take preventative medicines," study lead author Emma Varkey, a physiotherapist and doctoral student at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, said in a university news release. In the study, Varkey and colleagues evaluated 91 migraine patients over the course of three months. One-third of the patients were asked to exercise for 40 minutes three times each week. Another third of the participants performed relaxation techniques and the final third were prescribed topiramate. The researchers also followed up with the patients ... Read more

Related support groups: Migraine, Migraine Prevention, Migraine Prophylaxis

Implantable Device May Help Ease Tough Migraines

Posted 23 Jun 2011 by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, June 23 – An implantable device hidden in the nape of the neck may mean more headache-free days for people with severe migraines that don't respond to other treatments, a new study suggests. More than 36 million Americans get migraine headaches, which are marked by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, nausea and vomiting, according to the Migraine Research Foundation. Medication and lifestyle changes are the first-line treatments for migraine, but not everyone improves with these measures. The St. Jude Medical Genesis neurostimulator is a short, thin strip that is implanted behind the neck. A battery pack is then implanted elsewhere in the body. Activating the device stimulates the occipital nerve and can dim the pain of migraine headache. "There are a large number of patients for whom nothing works and whose lives are ruined by the daily pain of their migraine ... Read more

Related support groups: Migraine, Migraine Prevention, Migraine Prophylaxis

For Many, Weight-Loss Surgery Also Eases Migraines

Posted 15 Jun 2011 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, June 15 – Severely obese patients who suffer from migraines may see them fade or become less frequent after having weight-reducing gastric bypass surgery, University of Iowa researchers say. In the three years following surgery, 70 percent of the patients reported being migraine-free and more than 18 percent saw their migraines reduced from five to two a month, the researchers found. "The association between migraine and obesity is controversial," said lead researcher Dr. Isaac Samuel, director of the University of Iowa Obesity Surgery Program. "Some people say the risk for migraine is higher in obese people; others say the symptoms are worse," he said. There could be a number of reasons why migraine is relieved by gastric bypass surgery, including hormonal changes that occur after the procedure or certain proteins produced by fat cells, Samuel said. "Severely obese patients ... Read more

Related support groups: Obesity, Migraine, Gastric Bypass Surgery

Scientists Identify Genes Linked to Migraines

Posted 13 Jun 2011 by Drugs.com

SUNDAY, June 12 – Researchers have identified three genes linked to migraine headache and found that people who inherit any one of these genes have a 10 to 15 percent greater risk for the condition. Migraine headache – an abnormality in the response of nerve cells to stimuli – is characterized by recurring severe headaches, which often result in nausea as well as sensitivity to light and sound. In examining genetic data from more than 23,000 women, including over 5,000 migraine sufferers, the researchers found an association between the headaches and variations in three genes: TRPM8 (which plays a role in sensitivity to cold and pain), LRP1 (a gene involved in the transmission of signals between neurons) and PRDM16. "While migraine remains incompletely understood and its underlying causes difficult to pin down, identifying these three genetic variants helps shed light on the ... Read more

Related support groups: Migraine

Migraine Plus PTSD 4 Times More Likely in Men: Study

Posted 9 Jun 2011 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, June 8 – New findings on the link between migraine headaches and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) suggest that sex differences play an important role in the connection. As individual health issues, both PTSD and migraine are more common among women. However, the new study found that men with migraines are four times more likely than women with migraines to also have PTSD. In addition, the investigators found that the type of trauma a person experiences and when it happens to them also seems to affect the sex differences in the migraine-PTSD connection, according to the report published online June 1 in Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain. The study authors noted that when a person faces a traumatic life event before the age of 13, their risk of depression is greater than their risk of developing PTSD. The opposite is true when the traumatic life event occurs ... Read more

Related support groups: Migraine, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Page: 1 2 3 4 Next (46 results)

Ask a Question

Further Information

Related Condition Support Groups

Migraine Prevention, Migraine Prophylaxis, Trochleitis, Headache

Related Drug Support Groups

gabapentin, Neurontin, Flexeril, cyclobenzaprine, diclofenac, Imitrex, Excedrin, Reglan, Maxalt, view more... Fiorinal, cyproheptadine, sumatriptan, Norflex, Periactin, metoclopramide, Treximet, Relpax, Zomig, Amrix, Cafergot, Excedrin Migraine, Vioxx, orphenadrine, ergotamine, Maxalt-MLT, Migergot, Frova, Methergine, Levacet, Migranal, Excedrin Extra Strength, dihydroergotamine, Cambia, Imitrex Statdose, Painaid, Fexmid, Sansert, Vanquish, feverfew, Amerge, zolmitriptan, DHE 45, almotriptan, Axert, methysergide maleate, Ergomar, rizatriptan, Goodys Extra Strength, Gabarone, Fiortal, Micomp-PB, Belcomp-PB, Cafatine PB, Idenal, Fanatrex, Fortabs, Butalbital Compound, Ergocomp-PB, Laniroif, ErgocaffPB, Cafetrate, Fiormor, Ercaf, Cafatine, Zomig-ZMT, acetaminophen/aspirin/caffeine/salicylamide, Wigraine, Migracet-PB, E-Caff P-B, Maxolon, Alsuma, Ergocaf-PB, Flexon, caffeine/ergotamine, Farbital, belladonna/caffeine/ergotamine/pentobarbital, aspirin/butalbital/caffeine, acetaminophen/aspirin/caffeine, eletriptan, frovatriptan, rofecoxib, naproxen/sumatriptan, naratriptan, methylergonovine, Banflex, Orphenate, Imitrex Nasal, Saleto, Goodys Headache Powders, Genace, Antiflex, Norflex Injectable, Flexoject, Mio-Rel, Myolin, Orfro, Supac