Brain damage

July 26, 2007

Brain damage from migraines? Maybe, if you are a mouse. A recent study published in the journal Nature Neuroscience discovered that a process that simulates migraine in mice leads to brain damage similar to that seen with repeated ministrokes. It is true that patients with migraines with aura (visual disturbance that precedes headaches, which occurs in about 15% of migraine sufferers) have an increased risk of strokes, but this risk is still very low. The vast majority of migraine sufferers stop having migraines in their 40s and 50s and we have no evidence that having migraines for many years causes any permanent brain damage. What happens to mice can never be directly extrapolated to humans. (See my comments on Fox News under NYHC in the News).

Written by

Alexander Mauskop, MD

July 3, 2026

Alternative Therapies

Essential Oils Can Change Your Brain

The science of essential oils and the brain is still young, but the findings so far are more compelling than many people realize. Brain imaging studies show that common scents like rose, lavender, peppermint, and lemon produce measurable changes in brain structure, brain activity, and pain processing. These studies are small and preliminary, and essential oils are not a substitute for medical treatment. But the evidence suggests that what we smell can influence the brain in real, physical ways

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June 30, 2026

Alternative Therapies

Why I Ask You to Breathe Out When I Inject Botox

Incorporating slow, prolonged exhalation into procedures such as Botox injections offers a practical, evidence‑informed way to reduce discomfort and anxiety. By aligning the injection with the out‑breath, we engage parasympathetic and attentional mechanisms that help the brain process pain signals less intensely. This simple breathing cue does not replace careful technique or other comfort measures, but it complements them and gives patients an active role in their own pain control. As research on breathing and pain continues to grow, integrating this kind of mind–body strategy into migraine care becomes an increasingly important part of modern neurology.

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June 29, 2026

Migraine status

Intravenous treatment for severe migraine

When you need intravenous drugs, in an ER or our office

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Insights from Dr. Alexander Mauskop on headaches and migraines

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Brain damage

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