HeadWise

Blood sugar may play a bigger role in migraine disease than many people realize. In this episode of HeadWise™, host Lindsay Weitzel, PhD, and guest Laurel Short, DNP, explore how blood sugar fluctuations, insulin, and meal timing may impact headache and migraine, along with simple strategies to help keep levels more stable throughout the day.

In this episode, host Lindsay Weitzel, PhD, is joined by headache medicine specialist Fred Cohen, MD, director of Headache Intervention in New York City and assistant professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, to discuss why headache attacks commonly occur during viral illnesses like the flu, COVID, and other infections. They explore how inflammation and immune responses during illness can trigger headache attacks, why some people experience migraine attacks when they are sick, and why headache attacks can sometimes continue even after the infection has resolved. They offer guidance on recognizing different types of headache attacks and understanding when to seek medical evaluation.

In this episode, host Lindsay Weitzel, PhD, is joined by Sam Kelokates, PT, DPT, founder of Kelos Physical Therapy, to discuss how people living with migraine and other headache disorders can approach exercise safely and effectively. They explore how physical activity can both trigger and help prevent migraine, what the research currently shows, and how to build an exercise routine that supports long-term headache management. The conversation focuses on practical strategies—like setting realistic goals, pacing intensity, planning around triggers, and adapting workouts during different phases of migraine. Topics covered include: - How exercise affects migraine frequency, disability, and quality of life - When it’s safest to exercise in relation to migraine attacks - Why the nervous system—not just muscles—matters in exercise tolerance - The “rule of too’s”: too much, too soon, too often, too hard - How to use pain thresholds to guide activity - Adapting workouts on bad days and planning for consistency - Environmental and sensory triggers to consider during exercise - Treating exercise as part of a long-term migraine management plan This episode offers practical guidance for people living with migraine, headache disorders, and clinicians supporting them who want to incorporate movement in a safe, sustainable way.

In this episode, Laurel Short, DNP and host Lindsay Weitzel, PhD, break down the science behind aerobic exercise, strength training, and yoga—and how each can influence migraine frequency, intensity, and overall wellbeing. They also discussion the difference between primary exercise headache and migraine, and why it’s important to talk with a healthcare provider when head pain is triggered by physical activity. You’ll learn: How moderate and high-intensity exercise may reduce migraine frequency and severity Why exercise can sometimes act as a migraine trigger—and what factors like hydration, temperature, and fueling have to do with it The difference between migraine and primary exercise-induced headache How strength training and posture can support people living with migraine and neck pain The role of movement in mental health, stress, and mood regulation Practical, SMART goal strategies for starting—or restarting—an exercise routine safely Watch the full episode to explore how to build a personalized, sustainable movement plan that supports both migraine care and overall health.

In this episode, host Lindsay Weitzel, PhD, is joined by Dr. Dawn Buse, a psychologist specializing in headache and migraine, and Katie Oakley, who shares her personal journey living with chronic and post-traumatic headache. Together, they explore the role of behavioral therapies in migraine care and how these approaches can support prevention, quality of life, and safer treatment options for people living with migraine—both on their own and alongside standard medical care. On this episode, they discuss: • Why referrals to headache or pain psychology can feel challenging for patients • What research shows about who benefits most from behavioral migraine therapies • How biofeedback, cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, and relaxation approaches work • The role of behavioral care for youth, adults, and people with medical risk factors • How these therapies can complement medications and neuromodulation treatments • Using coping and self-regulation skills in daily life and social settings • Adapting behavioral approaches for different types of chronic pain and headache conditions

In this episode of HeadWise™, host Lindsay Weitzel, PhD, welcomes Katy Oakley, the new Chief Executive Officer of the National Headache Foundation (NHF). Katy shares her personal journey living with post-traumatic headache and chronic migraine following a traumatic brain injury in her twenties and how years of daily head pain, delayed diagnosis, and difficulty accessing care shaped her path to leadership within the headache community. Drawing from both her lived experience and professional background in marketing and mission-driven organizations, Katy discusses how she plans to expand NHF’s reach, empower people living with headache and migraine, and strengthen education and certification for healthcare providers—especially in primary care. In this conversation, they explore: - Living with post-traumatic headache and chronic migraine - The emotional and practical toll of daily head pain - Barriers to care, step therapy, and treatment access - Why patient-centered leadership matters - Katy’s vision for the future of the National Headache Foundation - How HeadWise listeners can help shape future episode topics This episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at the leadership guiding NHF forward—and a reminder that people living with headache and migraine are not alone.

In this episode of HeadWise™, host Lindsay Weitzel, PhD, talks with headache specialist Fred Cohen, MD, about the viral migraine remedies circulating on TikTok, Instagram, and social media — and whether any of them are actually helpful. Together, they break down popular home remedies and “migraine hacks,” explaining which approaches may offer real relief, which lack evidence, and which could potentially cause harm. Dr. Cohen shares the science behind commonly discussed strategies like caffeine, cold and warm compresses, salt cravings, topical treatments, neuromodulation, and cannabis, while also addressing more extreme trends such as mustard on the feet, banana peels, hair cutting, and specialty ear piercings. This episode emphasizes that migraine is a neurological disease, not a condition solved by a one-size-fits-all fix. What works for one person may not work for another — and some remedies deserve a closer look before trying them. In this episode, you’ll learn: - Why caffeine can help some migraine attacks but trigger others - How cold and warm therapies may influence pain pathways - Which viral remedies lack scientific evidence - What the research says about cannabis and migraine relief - When neuromodulation may be a safer, evidence-based option - Why talking with your healthcare provider about home remedies matters If you’ve ever wondered whether social media migraine tips are worth trying, this episode offers clear, practical guidance grounded in medical expertise.

In this episode of HeadWise™, host Lindsay Weitzel, PhD, talks with Vincent Martin, MD—director of the Headache and Facial Pain Center at the University of Cincinnati—about a foundational and evolving question in headache medicine: Is migraine a systemic disease? Dr. Martin explains why migraine is not always a single neurological disorder and how emerging genetic and population-based research is revealing that only about half of migraine risk is inherited. He discusses how certain environmental factors—including head trauma, respiratory and immune-related conditions, and even gastrointestinal disorders—may contribute to developing migraine disease or increasing migraine frequency over time. They explore: • Why migraine may be neurologic, vascular, or influenced by other systemic conditions • What Mendelian randomization studies reveal about diseases that may actually cause migraine • How depression, asthma, autoimmune disease, IBS, and celiac disease intersect with migraine • Why people sometimes develop migraine later in life after injury or physiological change • The difference between what causes migraine disease versus what triggers an attack • How whole-person clinical evaluation may change migraine diagnosis and management This conversation offers clarity on a topic many people have sensed but lacked language for—why migraine often feels like more than “just head pain”—and presents a science-based understanding of how the brain, immune system, vascular function, and other organ systems interact in migraine disease.

In this episode of HeadWise™, host Lindsay Weitzel, PhD, talks with Ferdinand Hui, MD, Medical Director of Neuro-Interventional Surgery at the University of Hawaii, about cerebral venous congestion—an emerging and often misunderstood contributor to persistent head pressure, visual symptoms, and chronic daily head pain. Dr. Hui explains how impaired venous outflow can disrupt the brain’s “waste-clearing” system, why anatomical compression points can create significant symptoms, and how this evolving disease model overlaps with conditions such as idiopathic intracranial hypertension. He also shares why many people with long-standing, daily head pain may have been miscategorized—and how engineering principles are helping researchers rethink these disorders. They explore: • What cerebral venous congestion is (and why the theory is gaining traction) • How structural compression and venous narrowing contribute to head pressure and pain • Why cerebral venous congestion symptoms can mimic migraine disease in some individuals • The role of connective tissue disorders in venous flow problems • How venous drainage, CSF pressure, and intracranial dynamics interact • When surgery may be considered for cerebral venous congestion and why diagnosis must be extremely precise This episode sheds light on a rapidly developing area of neurology—one that may help explain symptoms that many people have struggled to name—while offering a clear, science-driven look at how venous congestion affects head pain, vision, and overall brain function.

In this episode of HeadWise, host Lindsay Weitzel, PhD, talks with Elizabeth Seng, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychology at Yeshiva University, about cogniphobia—the fear and avoidance of cognitive exertion because of the belief that thinking too hard might trigger or worsen pain. Dr. Seng explains how this fear develops and how it can condition the brain to associate mental effort with danger. While some people do experience migraine symptoms during intense cognitive tasks, cogniphobia itself is about anticipatory fear—avoiding activities like reading, studying, or problem-solving out of worry they could lead to pain. They explore: - What cogniphobia is (and what it isn’t) - How fear and avoidance patterns develop - Ways cogniphobia can impact school, work, and daily life - Why avoiding mental effort can affect long-term brain health - How gradual re-engagement and self-awareness can reduce fear This episode sheds light on a rarely discussed aspect of migraine psychology—one that can limit people’s lives far beyond the attacks themselves—and offers insight on how to rebuild confidence in cognitive activity.