New York Headache blog

We use a neuronavigation system from Soterix (on the left) for precise targeting of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). And we use the most advanced TMS machine from MagVenture (on the right) to treat chronic pain...

Medication overuse or rebound headaches can occur as the result of excessive intake of caffeine, opioid analgesics, and short-acting barbiturate drug, butalbital (contained in Fioricet, Esgic and similar drugs). These three substances...

Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) are a class of medications commonly used to treat conditions such as acid reflux, ulcers, and heartburn. They include omeprazole (Prilosec, Zegerid), esomeprazole (Nexium), lansoprazole...

The annual course, “The Shifting Migraine Paradigm 2024” will be held February 15-17, 2024 at the Plaza San Antonio Hotel & Spa. This three-day conference offers an excellent update on the treatment of migraine and other...

Homocysteine, an amino acid crucial for cellular metabolism and protein synthesis, is naturally produced by the body. However, either too low or too high levels in the body can lead to significant health issues. Insufficient...

Lack of sleep is a common migraine trigger. A less common trigger is getting too much sleep. I always recommend that patients try to go to sleep at the same time and get up at the same time. Even on weekends. Instead of...

My recent blog post on supplement combinations mentioned one that contains magnesium, riboflavin, and feverfew. I did not mention its name to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest. I am a paid consultant...

The thyroid function test is in the initial battery of blood tests we order on all our headache patients (along with RBC magnesium, vitamins D, B12, folate, and others). Having either an overactive or underactive thyroid...

Neurologists diagnose migraine by the description of symptoms provided by the patient. We have not had an objective test to confirm that a person suffers from migraines. A group of researchers led by Dr. Yiheng Tu in the...

I tell most of my patients that after physical exercise, meditation is the second-best preventive treatment for migraine headaches. It turns out that meditation is not an unalloyed good. In a recent podcast, Tim Ferris...

Every patient visiting our clinic undergoes a routine blood test, which includes an assessment for magnesium and vitamin deficiencies. We know that close to 50% of patients with migraines are deficient in magnesium and...

Cluster headaches arguably cause the worst imaginable pain, hence the moniker, suicide headaches. Fortunately, there are many treatments for this condition, including two FDA-approved drugs. One is sumatriptan injections taken...

There is growing evidence that vitamin D is important in the development and treatment of migraines. In the past 15 years, I have written a dozen posts on the role of vitamin D in migraines. At the last meeting of the International...

Since the legalization of medical marijuana in New York in 2014, I have prescribed it to several hundred patients. My experience suggests that approximately one-third of my patients benefit from its use and continue to rely on...

A presentation by Jing Jie Yu, Joshua E. Levine, and others from U. of Florida at the last meeting of the International Headache Society described their analysis of the potential risks of triptans. Triptans are drugs that were first...

Magnificent Magnesium is the title of a book my colleague and friend, cardiologist Dr. Dennis Goodman wrote about this underappreciated mineral. Magnesium produces magical results, albeit only in those who are deficient...

New daily persistent headache (NDPH) is condition that is defined solely by the fact that the headache begins suddenly one day and does not go away. There are no scientific studies to suggest possible underlying mechanisms...

Most people have heard about the gut-brain connection. Research published in The Journal of Headache and Pain examined this connection in relation to migraine headaches. The researchers looked at whether...

A recently published study suggests that valproic acid (Depakene) given intravenously in an emergency room can relieve migraine headaches in children. The researchers also showed that giving these children an oral version...

Our thoughts and emotions can impact the development of chronic pain. However, there haven’t been many studies exploring what causes pain to transition from being short-term (acute) to long-lasting (chronic). Australian researchers...

People who suffer from migraines are twice as likely to develop benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) than individuals without a history of migraines. BPPV, though benign, can be a terrifying experience, especially...

Because migraine is fundamentally a brain disorder, the involvement of physical therapists in its treatment might seem unnecessary. However, their contribution can be profoundly impactful, provided they have a keen...

Botox injections is arguably the safest and most effective preventive treatment for migraine headaches. There have been cases of pregnant women receiving Botox for various medical and cosmetic reasons, and no evidence...

Meditation had a dramatic effect on my migraine headaches, especially when I increased my daily meditation time from 20 to 45 minutes. I have found that sumatriptan has always been very effective and migraines have never...

Zavegepant (Zavzpret), the first CGRP nasal spray for the treatment of acute migraine attacks, was approved by the FDA in March and is now readily available in all US pharmacies..Zavegepant belongs to the family of CGRP...

Many companies selling ineffective treatments for painful conditions manage to attract a large customer base by showcasing testimonials from satisfied customers. Recent research suggests that these individuals might...

Researchers have identified four blood biomarkers that show promise in predicting, diagnosing, and monitoring treatment response for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These biomarkers could lead to more accurate...

The fact that certain types of weather can trigger headaches is not news to many migraine sufferers. Many researchers have investigated this relationship, but the findings have been inconsistent. The reported weather triggers...

In a recent post, I mentioned a study in which researchers using functional MRI (fMRI) were able to link functional connectivity within the default mode network (DMN) and between DMN and executive control network (ECN)...

Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic investigated the risk of stroke associated with different estrogen doses in oral contraceptives (OCP) for individuals with migraines. The results of their study were recently published in...