Are migraines hereditary?

Yes. Having one parent with migraine gives you about a 40 % chance; both parents raises it to 75 %.

Can eye strain from screens cause true migraine?

Screens do not cause migraine, but prolonged light exposure can trigger an attack in susceptible brains.

Is daily caffeine protective or harmful?

Up to 200 mg daily may be protective, but exceeding that or abrupt withdrawal increases attacks.

Do I need a brain scan for every new symptom?

Not if symptoms fit your usual pattern. New neurologic deficits, however, warrant imaging.

Can weather apps help me predict attacks?

Yes. Tracking barometric changes lets some users preemptively hydrate or medicate, reducing severity.

Is it safe to exercise during an attack?

Gentle stretching is fine, but high-intensity workouts can worsen pain; resume full exercise after the acute phase.

How long should I try a preventive medication before judging success?

Give most preventives 8–12 weeks at the target dose before declaring failure.

Will pregnancy cure my migraines?

About 60 % of women improve in the second and third trimesters, but attacks often return postpartum.

Does Botox really help?

For chronic migraine (≥15 headache days/month), onabotulinumtoxinA every 12 weeks cuts attacks by about 8 days monthly.

Why do I have migraine disorder? A clear look at causes, triggers, and risks

Is migraine really a brain disease or just bad headaches?

Migraine is a neurovascular disorder: electrical activity in the brainstem misfires, leading to swelling of blood vessels and release of inflammatory peptides around the meninges. Genetics, hormones, and environment combine to make some brains vulnerable.

Genetic mutations raise baseline excitabilityMore than 40 gene variants—such as CACNA1A and TRPM8—alter ion channels, increasing the chance that neurons fire abnormally during everyday stress.
CGRP drives pain and nauseaWhen trigeminal nerves release calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), vessels dilate up to 300 %, producing the throbbing sensation.
Estrogen swings double women’s riskAttacks rise around menstruation because falling estrogen removes natural suppression of CGRP.
Sensory overload lowers the attack thresholdBright lights or loud sounds cause cortical spreading depression, a wave of neuronal silence linked to aura in 25 % of patients. "Migraine is a brain wiring problem that gets unmasked by normal stimuli," explains Sina Hartung, MMSC-BMI.
Migraine ranks among the world’s top disability causesThe Global Burden of Disease review cited by Puledda et al. places migraine as the sixth most disabling condition worldwide, underlining that it is a serious neurological illness, not merely a headache. (Springer)
One in eight Americans live with migraineAccording to NINDS, migraine affects about 12 % of the U.S. population—close to 40 million people—demonstrating its high prevalence as a brain disorder. (NIH)

When should a migraine sufferer worry about something more serious?

Most migraines are benign, but a sudden change in pattern can signal a secondary headache that needs urgent evaluation. Recognizing red-flag signs prevents missing stroke, aneurysm, or infection.

A "first or worst" thunderclap pain demands immediate CTA headache peaking in less than one minute raises concern for subarachnoid hemorrhage—call 911.
Neurologic deficits lasting over 60 minutes need ERPersistent weakness or speech trouble may indicate ischemic stroke rather than typical aura.
Fever above 100.4 °F plus neck stiffness suggests meningitisInfection inflames the meninges and can mimic migraine photophobia.
New daily headache after age 50 warrants temporal artery biopsyGiant-cell arteritis causes vision loss but responds to steroids.
Cancer or HIV history changes the calculusUnderlying malignancy or immunosuppression raises the odds of brain metastasis or abscess; "don’t assume every headache in these settings is migraine," warns the team at Eureka Health.
Migraine with aura doubles stroke riskPeople who experience migraine with aura are roughly twice as likely to suffer a stroke compared with those without aura, according to Hartford HealthCare specialists. (HH)
Positional or cough-provoked headache warrants urgent imagingHeadaches that intensify when lying down, coughing, sneezing, or during exertion can signal elevated intracranial pressure or a mass lesion and should prompt immediate evaluation, advises Premier Neurology Center. (PremierNC)

Which personal factors and triggers push my brain toward an attack?

Migraine threshold is individual. Identifying and controlling your own triggers can reduce attacks by 30 % in six months.

Irregular sleep cuts the threshold in halfOne study showed going to bed two hours later than usual tripled attack risk the next day.
Skipping breakfast spikes cortical excitabilityGlucose dips trigger hypothalamic stress responses that precede 20 % of attacks.
Weather pressure drops of ≥7 mbar within 6 h provoke attacksBarometric swings act via inner-ear mechanoreceptors.
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a culprit in 15 %Food diaries link MSG-rich meals to headache onset within two hours.
High-stress weeks raise monthly frequency by 50 %"Patients who schedule micro-breaks and breathing drills often see marked improvement," notes Sina Hartung, MMSC-BMI.
Estrogen fluctuations triple migraine prevalence in womenWomen experience migraines about three times as often as men (18 % vs 6 %), a gap the Merck Manual attributes largely to shifts in estrogen around menstruation, pregnancy, or menopause. (Merck)
Sensory overload from bright light or odors often sparks attacksMayo Clinic lists glare, loud sounds, and strong smells among the most common external triggers, urging patients to reduce exposure whenever feasible. (Mayo)

What can I do at home today to calm my migraine brain?

Practical steps can cut attack duration and lower future frequency without relying solely on medication.

Keep a structured sleep-wake time (±30 min)Consistent sleep stabilizes hypothalamic control of pain pathways.
Hydrate to at least 2 L dailyEven mild dehydration (1 % body weight) increases migraine odds by 25 %.
Use a 10-minute cold compress to constrict vesselsApplying ice packs to the occipital area reduced pain scores by 2 points on a 0–10 scale in a randomized trial.
Practice paced breathing at 6 breaths per minuteParasympathetic activation dampens trigeminal firing; "biofeedback apps are low-cost and evidence-based," says the team at Eureka Health.
Inhale lavender essential oil for aromatherapy reliefA 2016 randomized study found that 15 minutes of lavender aromatherapy reduced both the frequency and severity of migraine attacks compared with placebo. (Healthline)
Press the LI-4 pressure point between thumb and index fingerApplying firm, circular acupressure for 2–3 minutes at the LI-4 point significantly eased migraine-related nausea in clinical testing. (MNT)

Which tests and medicines matter most for migraine evaluation?

No lab test confirms migraine, but targeted work-up rules out mimics and guides therapy. Medication choice depends on frequency and comorbidities.

MRI with contrast if red flags existDetects tumors, malformations, or demyelination; normal imaging supports primary migraine diagnosis.
TSH and ferritin uncover endocrine or iron triggersSubclinical hypothyroidism and low iron each increase migraine frequency by 20 %.
CGRP monoclonal antibodies drop attacks by 50 %These monthly injections neutralize CGRP; they are considered when oral preventives fail.
Triptans abort 70 % of moderate attacks within 2 hThey constrict cranial vessels but are avoided in uncontrolled hypertension.
Riboflavin 400 mg daily shows a 30 % reduction in attack days"Many patients prefer evidence-backed nutraceuticals before prescription drugs," notes Sina Hartung, MMSC-BMI.
Topiramate 100 mg daily halves monthly migraine days in roughly 50 % of usersThe CMAJ review lists topiramate as a first-line preventive, reporting ≥50 % reduction in attack frequency in half of treated patients versus about 23 % on placebo. (CMAJ)
Gepant tablets relieve pain without vasoconstriction and outperform placebo by 20–25 % at 2 hoursMount Sinai notes that rimegepant and ubrogepant are oral CGRP antagonists suitable for patients with cardiovascular disease, closing the pain-free gap over placebo by roughly one-quarter of users. (Mount Sinai)