Headache guides

Plain-language guides about migraine and other headaches, written by a headache specialist. More articles are on the way.

• Barometric pressure and headachesWhy weather changes can bring on a headache, how much of a pressure drop matters, and what you can do on days when pressure falls.
• What is migraine?How migraine differs from other headaches, what aura is, the four phases of an attack, common triggers, and when migraine is called chronic.
• Migraine medicationsThe two kinds of migraine medicine, the main options approved in the US, why taking it early matters, and when to talk with your doctor about prevention.
• Medication overuse headache (rebound headache)How taking headache medicine too often can lead to more headaches, the day limits doctors use, and how treatment works.
• When to worry about a headacheThe warning signs that mean you should get care right away, and how to choose between 911, the emergency room, urgent care and your own doctor.
• How to keep a headache diaryWhat to write down, how long to keep a diary before a visit, how doctors use it, and a short checklist for your appointment.
• How to find a headache specialistWho treats headaches, what certification in headache medicine means, when a specialist is worth it, and how referrals, insurance and telehealth work.
• Menstrual migraineWhy attacks often come around your period, how to confirm the pattern with a diary, which treatments to discuss with your doctor, and what to know about birth control if you have aura.
• Migraine in kids and teensHow migraine can look different in children, what sets it off, how parents and schools can help, and which warning signs need a doctor right away.