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Lifestyle
PubMed · August 1, 2026
Researchers found that eating a low-carbohydrate diet built around plant foods — think vegetables, nuts, legumes, and whole grains, while cutting back heavily on bread, sugar, and starchy foods — helped people with obesity or related health conditions lose roughly 5 to 7 kilograms (about 11 to 15 pounds). The same approach also lowered harmful LDL cholesterol and improved blood sugar level (A1C), which measures how well the body has been managing blood sugar over the past few months. These results came from seven studies involving nearly 1,000 adults and lasted anywhere from about one month to one year.
What's New
PubMed · August 1, 2026
Researchers found that eye drops containing a numbing medicine called tetracaine — the kind used to numb the surface of the eye — helped reduce migraine pain significantly faster than a fake drop in people treated in the emergency department, with pain scores dropping noticeably within just one minute. However, many patients who received the tetracaine drops experienced temporary blurred vision and eye irritation. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · July 1, 2026
Researchers found that people who are naturally wired to stay up late and wake up later — often called 'evening types' or night owls — were about 54% more likely to experience chronic pain, including headaches, back pain, and muscle or joint pain, compared to people with earlier sleep patterns. This connection held up across 18 different studies, suggesting that when a person's internal body clock is out of sync with their daily schedule, it may play a real role in how much pain they experience. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · June 1, 2026
A study found that women with episodic migraine — meaning migraines that come and go rather than happening daily — who went through a type of talk therapy called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy showed interesting links between their stress hormone levels and how much their migraines affected daily life. Specifically, cortisol, a hormone the body releases in the morning as a kind of natural 'wake-up' signal, appeared to be connected to how disabled patients felt from their migraines and their mood. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · June 1, 2026
Researchers found that atogepant, a migraine prevention pill, reaches the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord in only very small amounts — less than 1% of the level found in the bloodstream. This matters because scientists have debated whether migraine medications need to enter the brain directly to work, and this finding suggests atogepant may be effective even while mostly staying outside the brain. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · June 1, 2026
Researchers found that about 1 in 5 people with migraine also experience restless legs syndrome — an uncomfortable urge to move the legs, often disrupting sleep. The connection was even stronger in people who have had migraines for a long time, those with more severe migraine-related disability, and those who experience migraine with aura (a kind of migraine often preceded by visual or sensory warning signs). This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · June 1, 2026
Researchers found that a 6-week relaxation and biofeedback program — where patients learn to calm their body's stress response using real-time feedback — may work especially well for people with migraine who tend to worry a lot about physical discomfort in their bodies. People who worried more about bodily sensations at the start of the program seemed to get the biggest benefit in terms of migraine-related quality of life compared to those who just received standard self-management materials. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Lifestyle
PubMed · June 1, 2026
A study found that patients with chronic daily headache who practiced Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) — a structured talk-based approach that helps people change unhelpful thought patterns — and Biofeedback — a technique where people learn to control body responses like muscle tension using real-time feedback from sensors — saw improvements in sleep quality, reduced feelings of dread or helplessness about their pain, and less disruption to daily life. When both approaches were used together, the benefits were the greatest and lasted longest through a 2-month follow-up. All groups receiving these treatments showed meaningful reductions in how much headaches interfered with everyday activities.
What's New
PubMed · June 1, 2026
Researchers found that people with migraine who had lived with the condition for a shorter time — and who had more frequent headache days — were more likely to respond well to Botox (botulinum toxin type A) injections, a treatment used to help prevent migraines. This matters because it suggests that starting this treatment earlier in the course of the disease might lead to better results for some patients. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · May 25, 2026
Researchers found that on any given day, roughly 1 in 7 adults worldwide — that's over 600 million people — has a headache, with migraine being a major contributor; women were affected significantly more often than men. The scale of this finding matters because it shows just how common and widespread migraine and other headaches truly are, which could help push for more research funding and better support for people living with these conditions. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · May 24, 2026
Researchers found that acupuncture may help people with chronic daily headache — meaning headaches that occur very frequently, often 15 or more days a month — by reducing how often headaches happen, how long they last, how painful they are, and how much pain medication people needed to take. Importantly, these benefits appeared to stick around even after the acupuncture treatment period ended, not just during it. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · May 19, 2026
Researchers found that caffeine has a complicated relationship with migraines — it can actually work in two opposite ways depending on how it's used. People who habitually consume moderate amounts of caffeine over their lifetime appeared less likely to experience migraines overall, while those who suddenly stop drinking caffeine or consume large amounts in a short period (three or more caffeinated drinks a day) were more likely to trigger an attack. This matters for people with migraines because something as everyday as a morning coffee — or skipping it — could play a role in how often headaches occur. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Medications
PubMed · May 14, 2026
A study found that rimegepant (brand name Nurtec) — a pill taken at the start of a migraine — helped significantly more people become pain-free within 2 hours compared to those who took a placebo (a pill with no active medicine). Researchers pooled results from 9 studies involving over 7,000 people and found the medication was well-tolerated, meaning side effects were similar to those seen with a placebo. This appears to be a newer option for people with migraine, particularly noteworthy because some older migraine treatments come with heart-related limitations that rimegepant does not seem to share.
Ask your doctor: Ask the doctor whether rimegepant might be a better option for the patient's migraine pain compared to triptans, especially if the patient has heart concerns.
What's New
PubMed · May 9, 2026
Researchers found that two medications used to help prevent migraines in children — cinnarizine and topiramate — worked about equally well over a 12-week period. Both reduced the number of migraine attacks children experienced each month, dropping to around two attacks per month by the end of the study, down from a higher starting point. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Medications
PubMed · May 1, 2026
A study found that eptinezumab (brand name Vyepti), given as an IV infusion, helped reduce the burden of migraines for people who had both chronic migraine and a condition called medication-overuse headache — where taking too many pain relievers actually causes more headaches over time. Researchers found that people who received Vyepti alongside a brief education session reported less impact on their daily life, work, and overall quality of life compared to those who received a placebo (a treatment with no active medicine). This appears to be a new finding about how Vyepti may help a specific group of migraine sufferers who have not been well studied before.
Ask your doctor: Ask the doctor whether eptinezumab (Vyepti) might help reduce how often the patient gets migraines and whether it could improve the patient's daily life and productivity compared to other migraine treatments.
Medications
PubMed · May 1, 2026
Researchers found that a group of newer migraine medications — including injectable monthly treatments like Aimovig, Ajovy, and Emgality, as well as newer pill or nasal spray options like Nurtec and Qulipta — have been studied for real-world safety after they were already approved and in use. The study pulled together reports from large international databases where patients and doctors log side effects, looking for any patterns worth paying attention to beyond what was seen in original clinical trials. This is a safety update rather than a new treatment option — it's aimed at building a fuller picture of how these medications behave when used by a much wider range of people in everyday life.
Ask your doctor: Ask the doctor whether the patient should know about any safety concerns that have been reported after people started using CGRP migraine medicines like erenumab or small-molecule drugs like ubrogepant in real-world use outside of clinical trials.
What's New
PubMed · May 1, 2026
Researchers found that tiny needles — called microneedles, which are so small they barely penetrate the skin — may offer a new way to deliver migraine medication directly through the skin or inside the nose, potentially getting it into the body faster and with less discomfort than traditional injections or pills. This could matter for people with migraine because getting medication working quickly during an attack is often crucial, and some patients struggle to take pills when nausea sets in. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed (Open Access Guidelines) · May 1, 2026
Researchers found that among more than 433,000 veterans, migraine shares a strong genetic overlap with conditions like PTSD, depression, and traumatic brain injury — but having one doesn't appear to directly cause the other. They also identified dozens of new gene regions linked to migraine, which could point toward future treatments. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · May 1, 2026
Researchers found that a type of blood pressure medication called angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) — which includes drugs like candesartan and telmisartan — may help reduce the number of migraine days per month when taken regularly as a preventive treatment. The analysis looked at four studies and found these medications could also increase the chances of having at least half as many migraines as before. People who experience frequent migraines might want to ask their doctor whether this type of medication could be worth discussing as a preventive option.
Ask your doctor: Ask the doctor whether a blood pressure medicine called an angiotensin receptor blocker—like losartan or valsartan—might help prevent the patient's migraines from happening as often.
What's New
PubMed · May 1, 2026
Researchers found that when breastfeeding women used zavegepant (a nasal spray used to treat migraine attacks), only a very small amount of the medication passed into their breast milk — roughly 0.04% of the mother's dose was estimated to reach an infant. This could be meaningful for people with migraine who are breastfeeding and have had concerns about using migraine treatments safely during that time. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Medications
PubMed · May 1, 2026
A study found that Botox (onabotulinumtoxinA) — a treatment given by injection every 12 weeks to help prevent chronic migraine — reduced the number of headache days per month for people across different racial groups, including White, Asian, and Black/African American participants. Researchers also found improvements in how much migraines were interfering with daily life and quality of life across these groups. This was a look at whether the treatment works similarly for people of different racial backgrounds, an area where there hasn't been much research before.
What's New
PubMed · April 28, 2026
A study found that people with chronic migraine who were also overusing pain relievers — a pattern that can actually make headaches worse over time, known as medication-overuse headache — had significantly fewer migraine days per month when they received a preventive migraine injection called eptinezumab, along with a short educational session about their condition. Specifically, those who got the medication had about 3 fewer migraine days per month compared to those who received a dummy injection, which could make a meaningful difference in daily life for people dealing with near-constant headaches. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Ask your doctor: Ask the doctor whether eptinezumab might help the patient if the patient has chronic migraines and takes too many pain medications, based on a recent study showing this treatment worked better than placebo.
What's New
PubMed · April 1, 2026
Researchers found that a small, handheld device that gently stimulates the vagus nerve — a major nerve running from the brain down through the neck — helped reduce how often and how severely people with chronic migraine experienced headaches, and also improved their overall quality of life compared to people who used a fake (inactive) version of the device. In this study of 128 adults, those using the real device reported less pain and fewer severe headaches over four weeks. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · April 1, 2026
Researchers found that ubrogepant (Ubrelvy), a medication used to treat migraine attacks, does reach the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord — but only in very small amounts compared to what's measured in the blood. This matters because scientists have been curious whether the drug works mainly by acting on nerves outside the brain or whether it also has some effect inside the brain itself. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · April 1, 2026
Researchers found that for people with migraine who have already tried at least one preventive medication without success, several newer treatments — including fremanezumab, eptinezumab, galcanezumab, atogepant, and erenumab — may meaningfully reduce the number of migraine days per month compared to a placebo (an inactive treatment). The study pooled results from 18 smaller studies involving more than 7,000 people, though the researchers noted the overall confidence in the findings is low to moderate, meaning more research could still change the picture. People with migraine who haven't found relief from their current preventive treatment may want to ask their doctor whether any of these newer options could be worth exploring.
Ask your doctor: Ask the doctor whether the patient might benefit from trying one of the newer preventive migraine medications like erenumab or fremanezumab if the patient's current preventive treatment hasn't been working well.
What's New
PubMed · April 1, 2026
Researchers found that for people with migraine, the color and brightness of white light both affect how much discomfort they feel — and that white light with more green or cyan (a blue-green color) in it caused less eye pain than light with more blue or red. This matters because light sensitivity is one of the most bothersome parts of migraine for many people, and finding a more comfortable type of everyday lighting could make a real difference in daily life. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · April 1, 2026
Researchers found that combining two preventive treatments for chronic migraine — Botox injections and a newer daily pill called atogepant — appeared to be safe and may help reduce the number of migraine days per month for people who weren't getting enough relief from Botox alone. This matters because chronic migraine can be very hard to manage, and many people need more than one treatment to get meaningful relief. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Ask your doctor: Ask the doctor whether the patient might benefit from adding atogepant to Botox injections if the Botox alone isn't preventing enough migraines.
What's New
PubMed · April 1, 2026
Researchers found that a drug called ivabradine, which works by blocking certain electrical channels in the heart and blood vessels (called HCN channels), did not reduce migraines that were triggered by the opening of another type of channel involved in blood vessel relaxation. In other words, even though scientists thought these two systems might be connected in migraine, blocking one had no effect on the other. This suggests that the pathway involving blood vessel relaxation that can set off a migraine works on its own, separate from the HCN channel system — which could help researchers narrow down better targets for migraine prevention in the future. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · April 1, 2026
Researchers found that vestibular rehabilitation — a type of physical therapy focused on balance and dizziness exercises — may help reduce vertigo and dizziness in people who have vestibular migraine, a form of migraine that causes significant spinning sensations and balance problems alongside head pain. The review looked at 11 studies involving nearly 1,000 people and found that these exercises, whether done at home or with a therapist, led to meaningful improvements in symptoms. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · April 1, 2026
Researchers found that people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) — a condition that can develop after experiencing a deeply distressing event — are significantly more likely to have migraines than people without PTSD, with some studies showing the risk being up to nearly five times higher. This connection was found across very different groups of people, including military personnel, nurses, pregnant women, and college students, suggesting the link may be widespread. Understanding this relationship could eventually help doctors better support people who live with both conditions. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
For informational purposes only. Not medical advice. Always consult a physician before making any health decisions.