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Solar activity is high again – NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory reported a flare on October 1. And in the past two weeks we’ve been seeing many more patients whose cluster headaches returned. The last time we had a surge in the number...

A report describing delivery of magnesium through the skin for the treatment of fibromyalgia has just appeared in the Journal of Integrative Medicine. The title of the report is, Effects of transdermal magnesium chloride...

Zecuity, a skin patch containing a migraine drug sumatriptan was approved by the FDA almost two years ago, but it became available (by prescription) only last month (see my previous post about Zecuity). The product is not available in retail pharmacies...

Epilepsy and migraines share many features and those with epilepsy have a higher risk of developing migraines, while those with migraines are more likely to develop epilepsy. Anti-epilepsy drugs are commonly used for the preventive treatment of migraines...

About 12% of the population suffers from migraines. In addition to high rates of migraine-related disability, migraineurs are at a higher risk than the general population of additional disability related to depression, anxiety, irritable bowel syndrome...

Narcotic (opioid) drugs are still widely prescribed by doctors in offices and emergency rooms. They are not only potentially addictive, but also are not effective for the treatment of migraine headaches. The guidelines of the American Academy of...

MRI scans of migraine sufferers are almost always normal. Occasionally we see white spots on the MRI, which can be also found in people with high blood pressure, dementia, and sometimes in perfectly healthy people (see my previous post on this)...

Propranolol was first introduced as a blood pressure drug 50 years ago and about 40 years ago it was discovered to be effective for the prevention of migraines. This is quite a remarkable drug because it is also used for rapid heart beat, heart...

New onset of headaches is always worrisome, but even more so in a pregnant woman. Neurologists at the Montefiore Headache clinic in the Bronx conducted a 5-year retrospective study of pregnant women who presented with an acute headache, were...

Migraine with aura is believed to increase the risk of strokes and possibly heart attacks, although the risk estimates vary from study to study. A recent study demonstrated no increase in the risk of strokes in people who suffered from migraine...

Fluctuations in the female hormone estrogen have been proven to be involved in triggering menstrual and perimenopausal migraine headaches. Testosterone levels have been reported to be low in men and women with cluster headaches. Testosterone...

Ayurvedic medicine has many healthy aspects. However, a recent story on NPR described the risks involved with the traditional Ayurvedic medicines from India. A very high percentage of Ayurvedic supplements in the category called bhasmas sold in...

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is a group of inherited disorders that are notable for excessive joint mobility with some people also having lax or stretchy skin, at times heart problems, and other symptoms. Headaches appear to be also very common...

I recently gave Botox injections to my oldest patient – an 96-year-old man who is otherwise in excellent mental and physical health has been suffering from daily severe cervicogenic (neck-related) headaches for many years. He had tried pain killers...

Looking for health advice is one of the most common reason people search the web. Many websites provide health information and some even offer self-diagnosis using a symptom checker. After entering all of the symptoms the website suggests a...

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has just released a new strengthened warning about NSAIDs. Prescription and over-the-counter NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen, nabumetone, diclofenac, and other) are widely used for the treatment of pain including...

Hopefully, your doctor has given you many treatment options, so that you can manage even the most severe attacks at home (including Compazine or Phenergan anti-nausea suppositories for when you are very nauseated or vomit and Imitrex or sumatriptan...

For years researchers have tried to find ways to block various chemicals (neurotransmitters) released during a migraine attack, including serotonin, CGRP, nitric oxide, substance P, glutamate, and other. Triptans (such as IMitrex or sumatriptan)...

An opening between the left and the right side of the heart, called patent foramen ovale (PFO), is found in 25% of the general population. It has been found to be more common in people who suffer from migraines. A large PFOs can cause shortness...

Several presentations at the annual meeting of the American Headache Society held in Washington DC last weekend discussed the treatment of post-concussion symptoms in children (everything below also applies to adults). Among many topics...

Zolmitriptan is one of seven triptans available in the US and it comes in tablets (Zomig), orally disintegrating tablets, that is tablets that melt in your mouth (Zomig ZMT), and nasal spray (Zomig NS). The nasal spray was just approved for...

A combination pill containing 10 mg of sumatriptan with 60 mg of naproxen sodium was just approved by the FDA for children aged 12 to 17. This combination in a higher dose (85 mg of sumatriptan and 500 mg of naproxen) has been available for...

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was approved by the FDA at the end of 2013 (see my earlier post) but it has not yet become available. This approval was for the treatment of acute migraine. A new study just presented at the International...

We are again in a cluster season. We do not see any cluster headache patients for months and then dozens come in within weeks. It is not allergies, barometric pressure or any other earth phenomena that trigger cluster headaches in so many people...

Another supplement to consider for the preventive treatment of migraine headaches is diamine oxidase (DAO). It is an enzyme that breaks down histamine. Histamine is released during an allergic reaction and is present in many foods. It is one of...

Tension headaches can be prevented, or at least made milder by strength training, according to a new Danish study just published in the journal of the International Headache Society, Cephalalgia. Tension-type headache is the most common type of...

While Botox (OnabotulinumtoxinA) has been shown to be effective in treating chronic migraines, its exact mechanism of action is not clear. Initially, we thought that it works by relaxing muscles in the forehead, temples and the back of the head...

A topical cream seems to be effective in treating migraine headaches. Achelios Therapeutics announced results from a Phase IIa placebo-controlled clinical trial in moderate and severe migraine sufferers treated with Topofen, the company’s...

The FDA-approved protocol for Botox injections for chronic migraines calls for 31 injections with 155 units of Botox. This is the protocol we teach young doctors and new injectors. However, just like with any other medication, doctors are allowed...

Low vitamin D level predicts larger stroke size and poor outcome, according to a new study by University of Massachusetts researchers. They examined data on 96 consecutive patients with stroke and found a strong inverse correlation between the...