Celebrating the Fourth of July with migraine is not easy. This festive holiday can be packed with sensory overload and migraine triggers. In this Migraine Minute, Molly O'Brien shares tips to help you enjoy the celebration while protecting your health.

Check out our triggers webpage: https://bit.ly/4kFOZRf

Script: While the Fourth of July can be a fun holiday to celebrate in the States, it can be tough for folks with migraine. Why? Well, there are so many factors that can be stacked against you. Think about it, heat, big crowds, staying up late, BBQ foods and drinks that might have triggering ingredients…Not to mention the bright flashes and loud bangs of fireworks. Research even shows exposure to sulfur dioxide, a common byproduct of fireworks, may trigger migraine attacks.

If you have migraine and still want to enjoy the holiday, here are some tips from our migraine community: Stay hydrated, wear earplugs, watch fireworks from afar or skip altogether, bring migraine-safe food and drinks to your cookout, wear sunglasses or migraine glasses and keep a consistent routine.

Don't forget to check out AMD's updated triggers page, where you can learn more about common migraine triggers and how to manage them.

Why does fighting migraine stigma matter? That stigma we face may be more harmful than many people realize. Research shows increased stigma is linked with higher disease burden. Molly O'Brien breaks it all down in this Migraine Minute News Update.

Read the study: https://bit.ly/4f8J6wv

Script: June is Migraine and Headache Awareness Month, and you're likely going to hear a lot about fighting migraine stigma. Let's take a look at why it really matters. Stigma is when someone is judged, dismissed, or treated unfairly because of a trait or condition. Through research, we're learning how harmful migraine stigma can be. According to the OVERCOME study, more than 30 percent of those living with migraine said they experience migraine stigma often or very often. The study found that increased migraine stigma was linked with higher disability, more burden between attacks, and lower quality of life, regardless of how many monthly headache days someone has.

Researchers say the social context of migraine might actually have a bigger impact on quality of life than the number of headache days!

With that, fighting stigma and spreading migraine awareness may help better the lives of all of us living with migraine.

A new study shows body pain is more common and widespread in people with migraine or tension-type headache, and may be linked to a greater disease burden. Molly O'Brien breaks down the study in this Migraine Minute News Update.

Read more: https://bit.ly/41BVe10

Script: According to a study published in the Journal of Headache and Pain, body pain is more prevalent and widespread in people with either migraine or tension-type headache.

Researchers in South Korea wanted to better understand the relationship between headache and body pain. They reviewed data from 1,870 people, finding that those with migraine or tension-type headaches reported more body pain than those without.

The location of pain differed between groups. Migraine was linked with neck pain, while tension-type headache showed a link to upper back pain.

The study also found that the more widespread and intense the body pain, the greater the headache burden, including more frequent and severe monthly headache days, lower quality of life, along with more depression, anxiety, and insomnia.

Researchers say the findings may point to central sensitization, where the brain and spinal cord become overly sensitive to pain signals.