New York Headache blog

A new study published in JAMA Pediatrics found that engaging in screen time within the first 48 hours after concussion may prolong recovery time. The study was conducted by researchers at UCSF. They looked at data from 125...

Our research at the New York Headache Center and that of many of our colleagues, as well as the clinical experience of doctors and thousands of patients, have proven the role of magnesium in treating migraine headaches. I’ve written...

Antidepressants are commonly prescribed to treat migraines, tension-type headaches, and various types of chronic pain. Migraines primarily affect women of reproductive age, and those who suffer from migraines are more...

A recent study published in the journal Pain showed that adding a non-painful stimulus at the end of a Pap smear can reduce pain recollection. The study, titled “Adding a Nonpainful End to Reduce Pain Recollection of Pap...

Placebo response is a bane of clinical trials but it can be very helpful in practice. A team of American and Canadian researchers used AI to help identify predictors of the placebo response. The results were recently published in...

I’ve previously written about the benefits of meditation and how it has helped alleviate my migraines. I recommend it to all of my patients. A recent study published in the Journal of Headache and Pain by Chinese researchers...

The traditional approach for managing concussions has been to recommend rest until post-concussion symptoms resolve. While many neurologists still advocate for this approach, several studies have suggested that...

Most people are right in not wanting to take medications. They can have serious or just very bothersome side effects, they help only some people and can be expensive. Fortunately, there are many ways to control migraines...

In a recent post, I listed the top 10 acute treatments for migraine attacks that are mentioned in my book, The End of Migraines: 150 Ways to Stop Your Pain. Here is a list of the top 10 preventive drug therapies for migraines...

Zavegepant nasal spray (Zavzpret) was just approved by the FDA for the acute treatment of migraines. It belongs to the family of gepants. These drugs abort migraine attacks by blocking the CGRP receptor. CGRP (calcitonin...

I am honored to speak at this year’s Migraine World Summit on Sunday, March 12. My topic is Safety Update: DHE, Triptans, Magnesium, Butterbur, and more. The Migraine World Summit gives you a chance to improve your...

Even the best migraine medications work for only about half of the people who try them. In the next decade or so, advances in pharmacogenomics, neuroscience, and artificial intelligence will allow us to predict who is going to...

On March 10, I will be speaking on the Treatment of a Refractory Headache Patient at the annual meeting of HCNE in Greenwich, CT. One of the seven broad strategies I will be speaking about is trying multiple drugs within each...

In a recent blog post, I wrote about the benefit of different types of exercises for the relief of migraines and other types of headaches. It mentioned that strength training may be more beneficial than aerobic (cardio) exercise...

In a post last August, I mentioned that zinc could possibly extend the duration of the effect of Botox. A new report by Chinese neurologists in Headache describes their findings of an inverse association between dietary...

GABA, or gamma-aminobutyric acid, is a popular supplement for the relief of anxiety and insomnia. Until recently, I was not recommending it to my patients. There are no scientific studies showing that it works. So why did I start...

Thank you, Lisa Robin Benson for a kind review of my book. This is a video review on the Migraine.com website. Many of my colleagues have written very positively about my book. It is even more gratyfing to hear that patients...

Insomnia is a very common problem. Sleep aids, over-the-counter and prescription have been proven to be harmful if taken long-term. They even raise the risk of Alzheimer’s. A small dose of melatonin (300 mcg, or 0.3 mg)...

Another excellent educational course for healthcare professionals will be held on March 10th and 11th in Greenwich, CT. The Headache Cooperative of New England has held these symposia for over 20 years. The topic of my...

Migraine surgery is controversial. I would not consider it until most of the less invasive options have been tried. In my latest book, I give migraine surgery a score of 3, on a 1 to 10 scale. This rating may not be fair because...

Daily multivitamin use was compared to cocoa extract in more than 2,200 people over 65. After three years, taking a cocoa extract had no benefit while taking a multivitamin led to a significantly slower age-related cognitive...

Opportunities & Challenges in the Management of Headache is one of the two annual courses organized by the Diamond Headache Clinic Research & Educational Foundation. This year, it will be held in San Diego from February...

Botox has been shown to relieve the pain of trigeminal neuralgia (TN). TN is an excruciatingly painful and debilitating condition. The most common cause of TN is compression of the trigeminal nerve by a blood...

Holidays are again upon us. There are many reasons why people experience more migraines this time of year. Family drama, all the delicious unhealthy food, and alcohol. A report just published in the journal Headache brings...

Multiple posts on this blog have described clinical trials that prove the benefit of exercise for the prevention of migraine headaches.In a recent paper published in The Journal of Headache and Pain Stanford researchers compared...

According to a new report by Spanish researchers published in The Journal of Headaches and Pain, effective preventive treatment of migraines can improve cognitive impairment in patients with frequent attacks...

Riboflavin (vitamin B2) has been a popular supplement for the prevention of migraine headaches. The evidence for its efficacy is limited. Only one small double-blind, placebo-controlled trial showed that a very high dose of riboflavin...

Psychedelics are being actively studied for depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These trials usually involve hallucinogenic doses. Microdosing psychedelic substances such as psilocybin, lysergic...

A recent study by Chinese researchers showed that acupuncture is an effective treatment for tension-type headaches. The results were published in a leading neurology journal, Neurology. Being published in such a journal...