As one in six women and one in 12 men well know, a cure for migraines would mean relief from debilitating pain. In fact, the World Health Organization ranks migraines 19th among all causes of "years lived with disability."

That's why it's a big deal that an international team of researchers, having studied data from 50,000 people, identified a genetic risk factor associated with common migraines. The DNA variant in question affects the regulation of the neurotransmitter glutamate. It seems that this variant's effect is to thwart the clearance of glutamate from the synapses, potentially resulting in a migraine-inducing neurotransmitter buildup.

Needless to say, these findings have the potential to affect migraine treatments down the line.

A review in the American Journal of Medicine analyzing the results of 21 previous studies found that those who regularly suffer from migraine headaches are more likely to experience ischemic stroke, in which a blockage prevents bloodflow to a part of the brain, often causing permanent damage. The risk of stroke is about twice as likely for migraine sufferers than it is for people who do not get migraines, but those with headaches should remember that the overall risk of stroke remains low.

Doctors haven't determined the reason for the connection, but nonetheless migraine patients can take action to prevent stroke by doing such things as quitting smoking and lowering cholesterol. Experts also recommend extra precautions to control diabetes and high blood pressure.

You can swallow them and you can snort them, but soon you may be able to inhale them. MAP Pharmaceuticals recently announced that they are entering the last phases of clinical trials for a new inhaled medication for treating acute migraines. Levadex is a form of dihydroergotamine (DHE) that will be inhaled, much like asthma medications. Early indications are that Levadex has been useful not only for so-called "traditional" migraines, but for other migraine types such as patients with allodynia, menstrual migraine, migraine with nausea and vomiting, severe migraine or who treated late in their migraine cycle.

The final trials will determine if this medication has adverse affects on the cardiovascular and pulmonary system as well as comparing Levadex to intravenous forms of DHE. MAP Pharmaceuticals plans to file for final approval sometime in early 2011, so this new medication is still a bit far from appearing at the pharmacy. Then we'll see how the insurance companies decide to handle it, which is a different story all together.

Review the "usual" migraine treatments.

Are you a candidate for preventative migraine treatments?

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Another celebrity has been in the news lately because of recent health issues. Bret Michaels, former lead singer of the hair band Poison, had what is sometimes known as a "thunderclap headache." Well, he didn't end up in the hospital because of the headache, but for what came afterward. A thunderclap headache comes on suddenly as a loud sound at the back of the head, and is a common sign of a subarachnoid hemorrhage, a condition usually caused by a rupture of a blood vessel in the brain.

This is a good reminder that sometimes a headache isn't just a headache. So-called "secondary headaches" are headaches that are caused by some other underlying condition. Sometimes it's something as insignificant as seasonal allergies, but sometimes it may be something more serious like a stroke or concussion.

Be sure to know the warning signs of more serious headaches.

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To keep up on useful information
related to headaches and migraines,
subscribe to the
Headaches and Migraines Newsletter.
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Don't forget to join the discussion in the
Headaches and Migraines Forum