The Migraine Relief Center Blog

Monosodium glutamate, frequently abbreviated as MSG, is one of the most widely misunderstood food ingredients. It is an excellent flavor enhancer and industrial food additive that helps to augment the shelf life of processed food, but it has also been named in several studies that link MSG to cardiac issues, obesity and other health issues. MSG is also believed to trigger migraine episodes in many patients, but it is important to understand the basis for this belief.

Patients who live with migraine conditions recently got to see a part of themselves in the Lifetime cable television network. “True Tori” is a reality television series that features the painful lives of actress Tori Spelling and her husband Dean McDermott. These two actors are no strangers to reality television, but this particular Lifetime series shows them being just as vulnerable as any other married couple. Spelling, for example, is afraid that she may suffer a debilitating migraine episode

The world of professional and competitive cycling has undergone a lot of scrutiny due to the scandalous reports of performance-enhancement drug use among stars of the sport. One of the most infamous cases in this regard involves American racer Lance Armstrong, but current news headlines are being made by former British professional racer Michael Barry, who rode for the Sky Team and confessed to have furtively used Tramadol while racing in 2010.

One of the most important inventions of the 20th century has little to do with technology. Alcoholic Anonymous, the fellowship that pioneered The Twelve Steps and other important features of support groups around the world, has been helping people overcome a terrible disease through mutual aid. The success rate of the program owes a lot to its principle of fostering altruism and the human desire for connecting with peers in need who can also be helpful.

A Texas biomedical research firm recently won an Emerging Medical Technology competition with their pitch about the future development of a test kit to instantly determine or rule out bacterial sinusitis. At this time, such determination cannot be made at the doctor's office; it requires collection of a specimen to be sent to the lab. An instant detection of bacterial sinusitis will allow doctors to correctly prescribe antibiotics to the more than 30 million patients who suffer from...

Although we tend to think of the brave men and women of our Armed Forces as being made of steel, the fact is that they go through many of the medical issues that are prevalent in the civilian population. It is unreasonable to think that those who volunteer to serve our country will never suffer from migraines during their terms of enlistment.

The migraine condition is not defined or treated in a singular manner. Headache specialists recommend a range of treatments that may be preventative, symptomatic or both; the approach and treatment strategies will largely depend on the diagnosis and various other factors. There is no cure for migraines, but there is a considerable range of treatment options. Blood pressure medications are often prescribed to migraine patients, but the link between hypertension and migraines is a bit intricate.

In 2014, the use of birth control pills has become a politically-charged issue in the United States. As access to this longstanding method of contraception is the subject of heated debate even at the Congressional level, women who suffer from migraines have more pressing matters to consider. Women make up a majority of migraine patients, and many of them are bound to suffer episodes triggered by the use of birth control pills.

Viral hoaxes and pranks that play out on online social networks are among the most interesting sociological developments of 21st century Internet life. On the eve of April Fools' Day 2014, an alleged news report of teenagers in the United States smoking coffee beans rolled up into “caffeine sticks” dominated Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms, but the reports could not truly be substantiated at the time.

The issues of erectile dysfunction and impotence have gotten considerable attention over the last two decades not only because of their impact on reproductive health but also because of their holistic relation to vascular and emotional well-being. A lucrative pharmaceutical segment led by Viagra as a flagship medication has shaped around erectile dysfunction, and medical research studies are beginning to take a closer look at how this condition relates to other health issues such as migraines.