Back in my early days of episodic migraine I didn’t give much thought to the root cause of migraine attacks. It wasn’t until I had chronic migraine that I started to wonder what the heck was causing my once full life to get smaller and smaller. I wanted to know what was wrong with my body so I could fix it. What was my root cause of migraine?
According to the Migraine Research Foundation (MRF), migraine affects one billion people across the globe, 39 million in the United States alone, and it’s the 6th most disabling illness in the world. Finding an effective migraine cocktail is one of the single most important things that anyone with migraine can hope to find.
Anyone in the know about migraine knows about magnesium for migraine. But, when you see a neurologist or headache specialist, the doctors may not lead with specific information on the best magnesium for migraines. They may even forget to mention it as they focus on other priorities like medications, therapies and/or tests for you.
Can MSG cause migraines and headaches? Yes and no. It's controversial but I think once you understand more about this food additive you can answer this question for yourself. Some of you might be on the fence about it as whether or not you have MSG as a migraine trigger while others emphatically notice a strong MSG headache connection. My goal is to help you understand what MSG is and explain the contradictory messages on the internet as well as your own doctor's office.
What is the difference between sinus headache, sinus migraine and migraine headache? As it turns out, not much. Your sinus headache is very likely migraine. The location of the pain, as well as some common symptoms between sinus headache vs. migraine, seems to be the main reason for misdiagnosis by patients as well as primary care doctors.
Ginger for migraine has become a much talked about topic within the migraine community. And with good reason! A few studies have shown that it is effective in the treatment of acute migraine attacks. For chronic migraine patients, having another option to reach for besides our potentially rebound triggering medications is invaluable.
When it comes to migraine, we are so focused on figuring out our bedeviling culprits. Food triggers are often tricky and can turn into an obsession for some. So, the recent study about fish oil and migraine was welcomed news as the focus shifted in a wonderful way. Instead of telling us about what foods we should avoid, it informed us about what we probably should eat to help minimize the frequency and intensity of migraine episodes.
A stiff, painful neck is common when it comes to migraine. I have had neck pain along with migraine for as long as I can remember. It took me a long time to realize, and believe, that the stiff, painful neck was actually a symptom related to migraine. It was not a separate underlying condition for me. However, cervical neck dysfunction can co-occur with migraine which can make the diagnosis more difficult.
If you are reading this, then you are likely curious about whether or not the ketogenic diet can help you find migraine relief. As a registered dietitian schooled in the low-fat era, I thought "Eww, gross!" about low-carb and keto. I wish I had been more open-minded sooner. Keto is not at all what I thought it would be like. It helped reduce my attacks and improved my overall wellness while being delicious. There is scientific evidence to support the keto diet for migraine as well reports from neurologists and other practitioners.
Vitamin D has been getting a lot of attention over the past few years. This is because much of the general public is low in this important nutrient. But what about those of us with primary headache disorders? Can low Vitamin D cause headaches (tension-type headaches)? We all know that migraine is more than a headache. But what evidence is there about the relationship between Vitamin D and migraine? According to an observational study, approximately 42% of people with chronic migraine were considered deficient in Vitamin D. What's also eye-opening was that the longer the person was chronic, the more likely they were to be low.
