Migraine

A migraine is a neurological condition characterised by recurrent attacks of moderate-to-severe headache, often accompanied by symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, sound, and smells, as well as visual disturbances known as aura. Whilst many people think of migraines as simply a bad headache, they are actually considered a disorder of the nervous system. There are several different types of migraine, including migraine with aura, migraine without aura, vestibular migraine (where dizziness and balance problems dominate), ocular migraine, menstrual migraine, and chronic migraine.

Traditionally, migraines have been linked to genetics, changes in brain activity, neurotransmitter fluctuations, inflammation, hormonal shifts, blood sugar instability, sleep disturbances, and environmental triggers.An emerging area of interest is the role of neuroplastic pain. Neuroplastic pain does not mean the pain is imagined or ‘all in your head’. It refers to real pain generated by a sensitised nervous system, where the brain becomes highly efficient at producing pain signals. For some individuals, migraine may become part of this pattern, particularly when chronic stress, trauma, fear, hypervigilance, or nervous system dysregulation are present. This does not explain every migraine, nor does it replace traditional medical understanding, but it may help explain why some people continue to experience migraines even after obvious triggers have been addressed. As we often say at the New School, symptoms are rarely random but often a voice from within trying to communicate a message.

At the New School, we are interested in all of these factors. We also explore how the gut microbiome, nutrient deficiencies, histamine, insulin resistance, hormonal health, circadian rhythms, stress physiology, and nervous system regulation may contribute to the migraine picture. Like many chronic conditions, migraines rarely have a single cause.