The WHO ranks migraine among the 10 leading causes of disability worldwide. It affects three times as many women as men (hormones are a key factor). And yet it receives incomparably less research funding than cardiovascular disease.
How to read the numbers: Fact = a finding from research or biology · Term = a key term or marker worth knowing
Migraine prevalence
Women experience migraine roughly two to three times as often as men, mainly due to oestrogen fluctuations across the cycle. If you have attacks, keep a headache diary including cycle phase, sleep and meals – it helps reveal your triggers.
A typical attack
An untreated migraine attack can last from a few hours up to three days. If the pain lasts longer, is unusually severe or comes with new symptoms, see a doctor.
Inflammatory mediator
CGRP is a neuropeptide released during migraine that widens blood vessels and drives so-called neurogenic inflammation. Modern medicines now block it – if you have frequent attacks, ask a neurologist about them.
What happens during a migraine
Migraine begins in the brain — not in the head. Triggers (stress, lack of sleep, hormones, food, light) activate the trigeminal nerve, which releases inflammatory neuropeptides, including CGRP. These dilate the blood vessels around the brain and cause throbbing pain, nausea and sensitivity to light and sound.
Migraine typically does not strike during stress — it strikes within the first 6 hours after stress, when cortisol suddenly drops. That is why a migraine on Saturday morning or on the first day of a holiday is a biologically predictable phenomenon.
Magnesium and migraine
Half of all migraine sufferers have measurably lower magnesium levels. Both European and American neurological societies include magnesium in their prevention guidelines. Dose: 400–600 mg of magnesium glycinate before bed, for at least 3 months.
Triggers and an elimination protocol
Systematically identifying your triggers (with a daily app or on paper) and eliminating them for 6 weeks reduces attack frequency by 30–50% in most migraine sufferers. The most common triggers: dehydration, disrupted sleep, alcohol (especially red wine), fermented foods (tyramine) and hormonal fluctuations.
