Migraine/Headache

There is histological evidence of microstructural changes in the zygomaticotemporal branch of the trigeminal nerve in migraineurs. This raises the possibility that altered trigeminal nerve properties contribute to migraine pathophysiology. Whilst it is not possible to explore the anatomy of small trigeminal nerve branches it is possible to explore the anatomy of the trigeminal root entry zone using magnetic resonance imaging in humans. The aim of this investigation is to assess the microstructure of the trigeminal nerve in vivo to determine if nerve alterations occur in individuals with episodic migraine.

Background and aims A considerable research-literature focuses on pain during labor and associations with postpartum persistent pain and depression, with findings pointing in various directions. The aim of this study was to examine the role of labor pain and overall birth experience in the development of pain and depression 8 weeks after delivery. Methods The study sample was drawn from the Akershus Birth Cohort. Data from multiple sources were used, including the hospital's birth record (n = 4,391), questionnaire data from gestational week 17 of pregnancy (n = 3,752), 8 weeks postpartum (n = 2,217), and two questions about pain and birth experience asked within 48 h after delivery (n = 1,221). The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale was used to measure postpartum depression, a single question was used to measure persistent pain 8 weeks postpartum, while pain and birth experience were measured by numeric rating scales. A history of pre-pregnant depression and chronic pain were measured through self-report questions in gestational week 17. A total of 645 women had complete data from all sources. We applied multiple imputation techniques to handle missing responses on the two questions about pain and birth experience. Results The results showed that neither labor pain nor birth experience were associated with persistent pain 8 weeks postpartum, whereas pain before pregnancy (OR 3.70; 95% CI 2.71-5.04) and a history of depression (OR 2.31; 95% CI 1.85-2.88) were statistically significant predictors of persistent pain. A negative birth experience was significantly (OR 1.16; 95% CI 1.04-1.29) associated with postpartum depression, whereas labor pain intensity was not. A history of depression (OR 3.95; 95% CI 2.92-5.34) and pre-pregnancy pain (OR 2.03; 95% CI 1.37-3.01) were important predictors of postpartum depression 8 weeks after delivery. Conclusions and implications Whilst the relationship between labor pain intensity and postpartum pain and depression remain unclear, our results do imply the need to screen for previous depression and chronic pain conditions in pregnant women, as well as consider preventive measures in those who screen positive.

Although migraine is recognized as one of the most common and disabling diseases in the world, it is nonetheless still underestimated, underdiagnosed, and undertreated. The fact that migraine patients often tend to access the Web to search for headache-related information hinders patient-doctor relationships and one should also bear in mind that, unfortunately, text readability and medical literacy in the overall population may be the reason why patients' understanding of health information is compromised.

The most common and multifaceted migraine aura symptoms are visual disturbances. Health information is one of the most popular topics on the internet but the quality and reliability of publicized information is unknown. The aim of this study was to analyze images of migraine aura on Google to determine the frequency of correct presentations of visual aura and distribution of visual aura phenotypes.

People with migraine have historically been depicted as "frail and perfectionist women." While these presentations are from a different cultural context, we may today still be at risk of stereotyping and stigmatizing this patient group. Portrayals of people with migraine on the Internet and in mass media offer a window of how society today views this patient group. The aim of this study was to explore how persons with migraine are being portrayed according to 2 popular sources of photographic images.