The traffic light system
A simple way to think about your headaches, using the Canadian Headache Society Guidelines, which stratifies medication choices based on headache severity. The traffic light system is based on the associated disability of the migraine attack: Green: “I can still go” headache Yellow: “I have…
New evidence presented in favour of Vitamin D for migraine prevention
Author: Claire Sandoe, MD, FRCPC, Headache Fellow Many patients share a desire for non-medication strategies to help improve their migraines. A recently published study suggests that Vitamin D may be added to the list of potentially beneficial supplements. Past research about the role of Vitamin…
Global Patient Advocacy Committee
GPAC = Global Patient Advocacy Committee People working together to improve migraine care and understanding. GPAC is a group of physicians, patient advocates and representants from institutions, associations and industries related to the migraine field. Countries represented included Brazil, Japan, Spain, Italy, France, US, UK,…
What are the Top Ten things needed in the migraine field?
International experts have provided the following ideas. • Respect for the condition as a genuine neurological disorder and recognition of the significant burden on patients • Better training and education for primary care providers so more patients can be adequately diagnosed and treated • A…
A tribute to Neil Raskin and ice-cream headache
Dr Neil Raskin is a pioneer of headache medicine who is still practicing at 83 years old in San Francisco. He described the famous «DHE Raskin Protocol» that helped so many patients. But do you know those four special headaches that were described by Dr…
Prodrome or symptoms: what happens during the early phase of a migraine attack?
Before the pain starts, you may actually know that a migraine is ongoing. Do you feel irritable, tired, slightly nauseated? Do you feel neck pain, does light or smells bother you? It seems like a migraine attack starts even before the pain appears. Patients have…
Migraine around the world: a major threat for human well-being
Many people don’t believe that migraines are a real problem. The Lift The Burden team is working tirelessly to document the prevalence and impact of migraine and headaches around the world. The goal is of course to influence politicians and get more resources to study…
Identifying and treating Chronic Migraine
Is it possible to have a migraine more than 50% of the time? Unfortunately, it is. And it’s called «chronic migraine». An even MORE unfortunately, many doctors do not know how to diagnose chronic migraine. See what an expert, Dr Gordon Robinson, has to say…
What will happen to my migraines during pregnancy?
Author: Dr Vanessa Doyle and Dr Suzanne Christie Hormonal changes during pregnancy can have an impact on your migraines with fluctuations in the levels of hormones, causing your migraines to improve, worsen or even stabilize. The levels of estrogen and progesterone, the two main types…
Can I use an oral contraceptive? Will it make migraine worse?
Author: Dr Vanessa Doyle and Dr Suzanne Christie Headache is a common side effect of oral contraceptive pills, which can be affected by the dose and the type of hormone(s) in the pill. It is important to understand there are 2 main types of oral…
I have severe attacks, and sometimes throw up my medication…what can I do?
Most migraine patients will have nausea with at least some of their attacks, and some will vomit. Vomiting, especially if it occurs early in the migraine attack, can be a problem because if the patient throws up their medication before it is absorbed into the…
My Treatment for migraine works, but the pain comes back in a few hours. What should I do?
Many patients with migraine find that the medication they take for their migraine attack will relieve the pain completely or at least take it down to a mild level within 2 hours. It this is not happening with your acute migraine medication, you need to…
