Why the Increase in Migraine Headaches?

 

“Headache disorders continue to be among the most prevalent and burdensome conditions worldwide. Medication-overuse headache was responsible for more than one fifth of global headache-related disability.”

 

More and more people are experiencing headaches which are especially targeting women. We are located in Calgary, Alberta, headaches are more common here due to the rise and fall of the barometric pressure with the chinook winds that can bring double digit temperatures in the middle of winter. These warm, dry winds create significant, fast-acting changes in pressure and temperature that can affect the body, particularly in the sinuses, leading to headaches in sensitive individuals. But why are headaches becoming more common among other people around the world?

A new study Global, regional, and national burden of headache disorders[1] presented results on headache-attributed burden from 1990 to 2023, along with clinical and public health implications. Based on their findings “headache disorders continue to be among the most prevalent and burdensome conditions worldwide, affecting 2.9 billion people worldwide, ie, nearly 1 in every 3 people, and ranking sixth among all causes of health loss in 2023, a new analysis showed. (…) Medication-overuse headache, defined as worsening of an existing headache due to excessive use of medication, was responsible for more than one fifth of global headache-related disability—a finding that has ‘profound clinical relevance, and implication for public health.’”[2] Recently, as shared in our previous newsletter, we explained how dependant people have become with chemical headache medication, and how Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the United States Secretary of Health and Human Service stated that medications like Tylenol were unsafe to take if pregnant as they could lead to having birth defects. Before his revelation these drugs were regularly given to pregnant women.

If you never experienced a migraine headache before, you would not know that it is a horrific experience. I remember how in my early days of practice I was under a lot of stress, and out of the blue my eyes began to loose clarity of vision, I was seeing patterns and stars, I had difficulty bringing to memory the simplest things, my fingertips lost sensation and the only thing I could do was to sit down rest my head and close my eyes. It felt as if I was having a stroke. I needed answers and eventually sat down with a neurologist. When I explained my symptoms he immediately said “you are experiencing migraines, I know I have them myself and that is exactly what I experience.” He explained that it results from a narrowing of the carotid artery which restricts blood-flow to the brain. His advice was to take one ASA (acetylsalicylic acid) at the first sign of experiencing a migraine to vasodilate the carotid artery and to increase blood flow to the brain. Sure enough, his recommendation worked, but rather than taking the drug, I substituted with white willow, a natural alternative to ASA. I rarely get migraines anymore but I always carry some white willow with me just in case I feel a migraine coming on.

What is the connection between hormones and migraine headaches? Women are three times more likely to suffer from migraines than men, largely due to unique biological and social factors. According to Dr. Faubion at the Mayo Clinic “The likelihood of migraines increases when girls begin menstruating. Women are also at heightened risk of developing migraines after giving birth and during perimenopause—the time when a woman’s ovaries start to produce less estrogen. By the time they reach menopause, roughly 40 percent of women have experienced migraine. A sudden drop in the female hormone estrogen can trigger migraines in women. In fact, up to 70 percent of women with migraines report a connection between their attacks and their periods. Menstrual-related migraines are not typically associated with aura.”[3] Why does estrogen trigger migraines? Because it increases the sensitivity of cells surrounding the trigeminal nerve and nearby blood vessels, intensifying pain signals that lead to migraine attacks. Progesterone, on the other hand, seems to have a protective effect.

Besides hormones, workplace conditions also play a significant role in migraine risk. Stress, disrupted sleep, and environmental exposures are all adding up to vulnerability. Irregular schedules and night or evening shifts have been linked to significantly higher odds of seeking migraine treatment compared with daytime work because they disturb circadian rhythms and affect hormones and brain energy metabolism. Exposure to bright lighting, chemical odors, and poor indoor air quality can trigger more frequent headaches as well.

Chronic stress does not only affect mood and elevate migraine risk, it also alters brain biology that can lead to clinical depression. Long-term stress triggers inflammatory processes in the brain and disrupts systems that are involved in mood regulation, motivation, memory, and energy metabolism. These biological shifts are characterized by elevated stress hormones like cortisol and increased inflammatory signaling—this can weaken emotional resilience and cognitive clarity over time. If it is left unaddressed, this stress-induced inflammation and hormonal imbalance can lead to persistent low mood, irritability, fatigue, and a sense of emotional withdrawal.

Research[4] shows that progesterone can counteract many of these stress-driven changes and help reverse depressive symptoms. In animal studies using chronic stress models, progesterone lowered markers of brain inflammation, reduced cortisol activity, and restored normal behavior and motivation within weeks, which suggested that it had addressed underlying neurochemical imbalances. Progesterone may also support metabolic and endocrine stability, encouraging clearer thinking, stable emotions, and better resilience. Everyday habits like balanced nutrition and regular exercise reduce cortisol as well, they can even enhance progesterone’s mood-stabilizing effects.

The increase of radiation are also triggering headaches. There have been several studies which looked into everyday environmental electromagnetic radiation—especially radiofrequency fields from mobile phones and Wi-Fi—in relation to headaches and migraine-like symptoms.

According to the results of a systematic review and meta-analysis from 2022 “age and exposure duration (mainly call duration), both were the source of heterogeneity between studies. Furthermore, results showed that increasing call duration and mobile phone use in older individuals increased the risk of headache.”[5]

Another study in Thailand aimed to investigate the effect of modern technology in the trigger of migraine headaches in high school students. According to their results, “smartphone electromagnetic radiation has effects that fit the criteria for triggers that induce migraines. Finally, younger student, internet use and talking without hand-free devices were risk factors of migraines. It is recommended that limited time for smartphone talking with hand-free device and older age starting using smartphone be suggested in order to prevent migraine attack.”[6]

One might argue that migraines are clearly linked only to high-dose ionizing radiation in rare clinical contexts (e.g., post-radiotherapy SMART syndrome) and that there are no specific, well-designed studies that conclusively link everyday environmental radiation to migraines. At least, this is the World Health Organization’s official claim: “To date, no adverse health effects from low level, long-term exposure to radiofrequency or power frequency fields have been confirmed, but scientists are actively continuing to research this area.” It is not really reassuring for as society we can no longer fully trust the WHO, their objectives and official standpoint are not transparent, especially knowing that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) remains one of the largest sources of funding for the World Health Organization (WHO), typically providing between 9.5% and 13% of its total revenue, dollar wise that would be estimated to be between $589.95 million and $807.30 million, and that carries a lot of weight.

 

Life Choice recommendations:

 

References:

[1] GBD 2023 Headache Collaborators. 2025.

[2] Brooks, Megan. 2025.

[3] Mayo Clinic Press Editors. 2024.

[4] Niu, Cong et al. 2026.

[5] Farashi, Sajjad et al. 2022.

[6] Chongchitpaisan, Wanna et al. 2021.