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The Migraine Brain: Your Breakthrough Guide to Fewer Headaches, Better Health
A migraine isn't just a headache, it is a neurological disease. Affecting one in five women, one in twenty men, and one in twenty children, it's a debilitating, complex, and chronic condition that manifests in a combination of symptoms that can include excruciating head pain as well as other distinctive physical and emotional effects. Yet it is also a disease that you can improve and manage, as Dr. Carolyn Bernstein has discovered in her 17 years as a practicing neurologist.
Dr. Bernstein explains why migraines happen, why they are misdiagnosed, and why so few people get the right treatment for them. She reveals the latest research that shows that Migraine Brains share a hypersensitivity to stimuli and are more likely to experience a cascade of neurological reactions that cause common migraine symptoms. This breakthrough medical knowledge makes treatment and recovery possible with new migraine-specific drugs as well as with complementary treatments such as yoga, biofeedback and exercise.
The Migraine Brain will equip you with the information you need to understand migraines and to help your family and colleagues understand that a migraine isn't just a headache: it's a serious, yet treatable, condition.
Dr. Bernstein explains why migraines happen, why they are misdiagnosed, and why so few people get the right treatment for them. She reveals the latest research that shows that Migraine Brains share a hypersensitivity to stimuli and are more likely to experience a cascade of neurological reactions that cause common migraine symptoms. This breakthrough medical knowledge makes treatment and recovery possible with new migraine-specific drugs as well as with complementary treatments such as yoga, biofeedback and exercise.
The Migraine Brain will equip you with the information you need to understand migraines and to help your family and colleagues understand that a migraine isn't just a headache: it's a serious, yet treatable, condition.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
206 people are currently reading
900 people want to read
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October 24, 2011
"The biggest myth is that migraine is a type of headache. This is wrong. Migraine is a complex neurological disease that affects your central nervous system" (Bernstein 15).
I'm glad I grabbed Bernstein's book on migraines this time around. I've read others -- books that have advised me to try acupuncture or take magnesium, books that have suggested that I cut out bread products or get a massage every week. I have tried all I could afford of this advice. Some of it worked for a while. Some didn't. Bernstein's advice is different: more flexible, more applicable, encompassing more of the research on migraine while also empathizing with what it feels like to be in the middle of the pain.
From Bernstein, I learned that I don't need to find some puritanical way to blame myself for my migraines because there's a biological reason for them. Migraine is caused by abnormal brain chemistry (Bernstein 15). Good to know, right? And Bernstein doesn't leave us at abnormal and call it a day. She explains the chemistry, which I'm thankful for: "The latest research points to 'cortical spreading depression' as the physical reaction that begins a migraine attack . . . a dramatic wave of electrical 'excitation' that spreads across the surface of the brain, also called the cerebral cortex, when something antagonizes or upsets it" (Bernstein 41). Cortical Spreading Depression (CSD). It has an acronym and everything. I feel better about it already.
If I weren't using the same Goodreads rating scale I used earlier this year to measure Don Quixote, I would add more stars here, because Bernstein is a good teacher. She's kind. She's calming, and she has information that can help migraine sufferers get some kind of plan together to handle the pain. She speaks with equal enthusiasm to those who want to avoid taking medication and those ready to take anything necessary to stop a migraine. There are good reasons for both kinds of decisions, she assures. So yes, I recommend this book. It's a good one.
"There is probably no field in medicine so strewn with the debris of misdiagnosis and mistreatment, and of well-intentioned but wholly mistaken medical an surgical interventions." -Oliver Sacks, Migraine
I'm glad I grabbed Bernstein's book on migraines this time around. I've read others -- books that have advised me to try acupuncture or take magnesium, books that have suggested that I cut out bread products or get a massage every week. I have tried all I could afford of this advice. Some of it worked for a while. Some didn't. Bernstein's advice is different: more flexible, more applicable, encompassing more of the research on migraine while also empathizing with what it feels like to be in the middle of the pain.
From Bernstein, I learned that I don't need to find some puritanical way to blame myself for my migraines because there's a biological reason for them. Migraine is caused by abnormal brain chemistry (Bernstein 15). Good to know, right? And Bernstein doesn't leave us at abnormal and call it a day. She explains the chemistry, which I'm thankful for: "The latest research points to 'cortical spreading depression' as the physical reaction that begins a migraine attack . . . a dramatic wave of electrical 'excitation' that spreads across the surface of the brain, also called the cerebral cortex, when something antagonizes or upsets it" (Bernstein 41). Cortical Spreading Depression (CSD). It has an acronym and everything. I feel better about it already.
If I weren't using the same Goodreads rating scale I used earlier this year to measure Don Quixote, I would add more stars here, because Bernstein is a good teacher. She's kind. She's calming, and she has information that can help migraine sufferers get some kind of plan together to handle the pain. She speaks with equal enthusiasm to those who want to avoid taking medication and those ready to take anything necessary to stop a migraine. There are good reasons for both kinds of decisions, she assures. So yes, I recommend this book. It's a good one.
"There is probably no field in medicine so strewn with the debris of misdiagnosis and mistreatment, and of well-intentioned but wholly mistaken medical an surgical interventions." -Oliver Sacks, Migraine
August 19, 2015
If you have suffered with migraines for any period of time, and you're also someone who knows how to google, you'll find that the majority of this book is general information about migraines. There were a few new things I learned, namely ice massage (never tried) and Zomig (a triptan that dissolves, which I'll soon be asking my doctor for).
What I found most frustrating about this book is the amount of repetition. The same advice is repeated throughout the sections. Get migraines? Try meditation. Get migraines because of your period? Try meditation. Get migraines because you eat bananas? Try meditation.
Also, some of it is a bit insulting to the readers' intelligence. In a section about finding a good doctor, the advice reads "Is the receptionist polite? Are the chairs comfortable?" I mean, give me a break. When talking about being too busy to exercise, it says: "Try vacuuming the house while listening to salsa!"
All in all, if you are completely new to suffering migraines (my deep sympathies, by the way), then this book is totally worth it as a great starting point, giving all the information you need (and plenty of repetition to hammer it in). If you have been suffering for a while, perhaps not. Though, if either ice massage or Zomig works for me, then I guess it would have been ok.
What I found most frustrating about this book is the amount of repetition. The same advice is repeated throughout the sections. Get migraines? Try meditation. Get migraines because of your period? Try meditation. Get migraines because you eat bananas? Try meditation.
Also, some of it is a bit insulting to the readers' intelligence. In a section about finding a good doctor, the advice reads "Is the receptionist polite? Are the chairs comfortable?" I mean, give me a break. When talking about being too busy to exercise, it says: "Try vacuuming the house while listening to salsa!"
All in all, if you are completely new to suffering migraines (my deep sympathies, by the way), then this book is totally worth it as a great starting point, giving all the information you need (and plenty of repetition to hammer it in). If you have been suffering for a while, perhaps not. Though, if either ice massage or Zomig works for me, then I guess it would have been ok.
April 23, 2015
I gave this four stars mainly because this book is packed full of useful information for those who suffer with migraines. It is not well written, and sometimes boring to read (I skimmed several parts that didn't apply to me), but it is helpful nonetheless. If you get migraines often, I highly recommend you read this book, or at very least skim through it to see if there is any information that is helpful to you.
On a side note, acupuncture is spoken of in this book a few times, and Dr. Bernstein makes mention how it has helped several of her patients. After doing further research and discovering it's success rate, I decided to try acupuncture to see if it worked for me. I'm happy to say that after two months of twice weekly treatments, my migraines happen far less often, are less painful, and much easier to get rid of with medication. I continue to improve and hope that in the near future I am completely free of migraine pain.
On a side note, acupuncture is spoken of in this book a few times, and Dr. Bernstein makes mention how it has helped several of her patients. After doing further research and discovering it's success rate, I decided to try acupuncture to see if it worked for me. I'm happy to say that after two months of twice weekly treatments, my migraines happen far less often, are less painful, and much easier to get rid of with medication. I continue to improve and hope that in the near future I am completely free of migraine pain.
December 30, 2014
Amazing book! Amazing!
I have suffered with migraines for more than 25 years and this is the first time I have felt like someone understood me and what I was going through. This book discusses how seroius the migraine disease is and how you also must treat it as a serious disease. I learned so much about migraines, how to take care of myself to "hopefully" prevent migraines, and what to talk to my neurologist about to help better my care.
No longer do I feel like a big baby who can't deal with a headache. I am a migraineur whith a serious neurological disease who needs to take care of herself, and now I know how!
I have suffered with migraines for more than 25 years and this is the first time I have felt like someone understood me and what I was going through. This book discusses how seroius the migraine disease is and how you also must treat it as a serious disease. I learned so much about migraines, how to take care of myself to "hopefully" prevent migraines, and what to talk to my neurologist about to help better my care.
No longer do I feel like a big baby who can't deal with a headache. I am a migraineur whith a serious neurological disease who needs to take care of herself, and now I know how!
December 5, 2008
I was torn on how many stars to give this book. Dr. Bernstein gives some good advice about avoiding and treating migraines but the book feels really padded. She must have said drink lots of water at least 100 times. I counted 3 times on one page alone (page 292). The book has silly stories about famous people who get migraines and odd little sidebars that didn't always make sense. For example: "In the 17th century, Thomas Willis-considered the father of modern neurology(who happens to be an ancestor of Bruce Willis)-treated a patient, Lady Catherine, who had a notably energetic libido." Yup, that is the whole sidebar. Maybe it is worth it for the interesting punctuation, but how does it help me have fewer headaches?
This is probably a book to dip through for the good advice. I'd advise skipping Part One, reading Part Two in detail, and skimming through Part Three to find the sections that apply to you.
I do want to emphasize that the actual advice in here seems very good. She was right on about some of my personal "triggers" and had some other ideas I am trying now. The problem is that she took 300 pages to convey 100 pages of information.
This is probably a book to dip through for the good advice. I'd advise skipping Part One, reading Part Two in detail, and skimming through Part Three to find the sections that apply to you.
I do want to emphasize that the actual advice in here seems very good. She was right on about some of my personal "triggers" and had some other ideas I am trying now. The problem is that she took 300 pages to convey 100 pages of information.
February 23, 2012
This book is written by a Harvard Medical School faculty member and practicing neurologist. The author is very good at outlining possible causes and research in this field
I suffer from severe headaches and thus thought the book could offer some suggestions. Alas, because I've dealt with this condition for a long time, most of the book contained information I already know.
However, I recommend this book to people who are new to this nasty condition and need to learn the triggers, the phases of headaches, and the medications available.
I suffer from severe headaches and thus thought the book could offer some suggestions. Alas, because I've dealt with this condition for a long time, most of the book contained information I already know.
However, I recommend this book to people who are new to this nasty condition and need to learn the triggers, the phases of headaches, and the medications available.
January 4, 2009
Adam heard this author interviewed on NPR and recommended it to me since I'm a migraineur. It's written by a Harvard MD who founded a migraine clinic and is a migraineur herself. I liked that she was straightforward about what's known and unknown about migraines. And she didn't offer a silver bullet which was refreshing. Informative and helpful. I'd recommend it to anyone who suffers with migraines.
April 12, 2011
How could a book where the author recommends me to keep various items "in my purse" be the best migraine book I've yet to read? Don't be scared away from this one, he-men: Dr. Bernstein may run a headache clinic for women, but everyone can benefit from her wisdom.
What I enjoyed most were her chapters on Exercise, Nutrition, and Sleep. She quotes patients who sound like me, who experience the same whacked out migraine triggers that I do. It made me more convinced that I suffer from migraine in the first place. She also has a chapter on Migraines and Work, which for the weekend migraine sufferer was really informative.
I don't really agree with her constant advice to pop abortive meds or use caffeine. It's in total disagreement with the philosophy put forth by Dr. Buchholz in "Heal Your Headache" (popping abortives / using caffeine creates a rebound headache effect, and makes your blood vessels more susceptible to future migraines). So I was cautious there.
Still, really a helpful book. I take it with me everywhere. It hasn't cured me. But I understand the path I need to take to get well now better than ever.
What I enjoyed most were her chapters on Exercise, Nutrition, and Sleep. She quotes patients who sound like me, who experience the same whacked out migraine triggers that I do. It made me more convinced that I suffer from migraine in the first place. She also has a chapter on Migraines and Work, which for the weekend migraine sufferer was really informative.
I don't really agree with her constant advice to pop abortive meds or use caffeine. It's in total disagreement with the philosophy put forth by Dr. Buchholz in "Heal Your Headache" (popping abortives / using caffeine creates a rebound headache effect, and makes your blood vessels more susceptible to future migraines). So I was cautious there.
Still, really a helpful book. I take it with me everywhere. It hasn't cured me. But I understand the path I need to take to get well now better than ever.
March 11, 2011
I took notes while reading this. New studies and research have led to the view of migraines as a complex neurological disease of the central nervous system. Far from just a headache, the symptoms can include vomiting, scalp tingling, visual distortions, inability to speak, cold hands and feet, and problems in cognitive processing similar to a stroke, as well as a massive headache often centered behind one eye. All of these are things I experience, yay!
What happens when a migraine occurs is that your nervous system has an out-of-control reaction, which triggers a wave of energy that flows across your cortex and causes your neurons to fire rapidly back and forth from positive to negative charge. (This would be when I see sparkly stuff in the corners of my vision.) This causes the main problem: SPREADING CORTICAL DEPRESSION. You don't want this. It involves a sudden catastrophic loss of serotonin and dopamine, leading to other badness: dilation of blood vessels and inflammation of nerves as they release neuropeptides, particularly the trigeminal nerves that run up the face and behind each eye socket. It's awful.
Triggers can be a lot of different things, and the author is careful to emphasize that they depend on the individual. She discourages the reader from blindly following rules that claim all people with migraine (or migraineurs) need to avoid certain foods or whatnot. For example, coffee can be a trigger for one person but helpful in migraine prevention for someone else. She advocates making a big list of your triggers, based on observation. IKEA is a trigger for me. Not getting enough sleep. Feeling too happy, especially following a stressful period. Bright lights (I am a freak about avoiding them lately.)
I didn't read the entire book, but the sections I checked out were informative and authoritative and easy to follow. Bernstein lays out for the reader the current medical understanding of migraines and how they happen. Other chapters offer clear advice for prevention and treatment plans - including the guidance to write down a clear plan for what steps you will take when you feel yourself getting a migraine in any situation - work, in the car, etc. Very helpful. She talks about the different medicines and their benefits, as well as other treatment plans involving yoga, meditation, and biofeedback.
After years of reading differing advice online and in magazines, this book afforded me an unexpectedly deep sense of relief. I think it mostly came from validation, from knowing that what I have is pretty common although its symptoms are freaky. It made me feel more of a sense of control than I had before - just from small ideas, like that cold hands might be a trigger as well as a warning of a migraine, and I can control that by not letting my hands get cold.
What happens when a migraine occurs is that your nervous system has an out-of-control reaction, which triggers a wave of energy that flows across your cortex and causes your neurons to fire rapidly back and forth from positive to negative charge. (This would be when I see sparkly stuff in the corners of my vision.) This causes the main problem: SPREADING CORTICAL DEPRESSION. You don't want this. It involves a sudden catastrophic loss of serotonin and dopamine, leading to other badness: dilation of blood vessels and inflammation of nerves as they release neuropeptides, particularly the trigeminal nerves that run up the face and behind each eye socket. It's awful.
Triggers can be a lot of different things, and the author is careful to emphasize that they depend on the individual. She discourages the reader from blindly following rules that claim all people with migraine (or migraineurs) need to avoid certain foods or whatnot. For example, coffee can be a trigger for one person but helpful in migraine prevention for someone else. She advocates making a big list of your triggers, based on observation. IKEA is a trigger for me. Not getting enough sleep. Feeling too happy, especially following a stressful period. Bright lights (I am a freak about avoiding them lately.)
I didn't read the entire book, but the sections I checked out were informative and authoritative and easy to follow. Bernstein lays out for the reader the current medical understanding of migraines and how they happen. Other chapters offer clear advice for prevention and treatment plans - including the guidance to write down a clear plan for what steps you will take when you feel yourself getting a migraine in any situation - work, in the car, etc. Very helpful. She talks about the different medicines and their benefits, as well as other treatment plans involving yoga, meditation, and biofeedback.
After years of reading differing advice online and in magazines, this book afforded me an unexpectedly deep sense of relief. I think it mostly came from validation, from knowing that what I have is pretty common although its symptoms are freaky. It made me feel more of a sense of control than I had before - just from small ideas, like that cold hands might be a trigger as well as a warning of a migraine, and I can control that by not letting my hands get cold.
September 22, 2017
This book gave me a lot of help in ways to not get rid of migraine completely (your have them all your life) but how to make them better and be able to live better. There were a lot of medicines mentioned that I hadn't heard of before and natural ways of getting rid of the migraine that I didn't know. I will definitely be trying a lot of these tips and keeping a migraine journey to track this illness.
August 29, 2025
I didn't read the whole book, because a lot of it didn't apply to my specific situation. Also, it's definitely outdated, because apparently triptans were the height of newfangled migraine science at the time it was written. Overall though, it seems to have good information. It really emphasized the importance of a healthy lifestyle, which made me more motivated to improve my sleep/eating/exercise (all of which I already needed to improve for a host of other reasons). It also talked a lot about reducing stress and using whatever combination of drugs/lifestyle changes/alternative medicine works for you. It seemed like it had a lot of good advice for people with worse migraines than mine regarding prevention and treatment - there were a lot of "game plans" like this near the end of the book that I just skimmed over.
I have some "imposter syndrome" regarding my migraines because they never seem to match other people's descriptions of them. I didn't even KNOW they were migraines until this year when I went to a headache specialist! So, I liked that this book emphasizes how migraines can be different for everyone in terms of triggers, aura, etc. Still, it came across as a bit ignorant when the author said that every single one of her patients can tell when a migraine is coming on...well, I can't!!! I don't know it's happening until the pain starts! This book also focused a lot on the stereotypical "must lie down in a silent dark room" migraines when I've always been able to be active (just in a lot of discomfort) despite the pain. So, my "Ugh, I'm a medical mystery who doesn't exactly match any symptom lists" imposter syndrome continues.
I have some "imposter syndrome" regarding my migraines because they never seem to match other people's descriptions of them. I didn't even KNOW they were migraines until this year when I went to a headache specialist! So, I liked that this book emphasizes how migraines can be different for everyone in terms of triggers, aura, etc. Still, it came across as a bit ignorant when the author said that every single one of her patients can tell when a migraine is coming on...well, I can't!!! I don't know it's happening until the pain starts! This book also focused a lot on the stereotypical "must lie down in a silent dark room" migraines when I've always been able to be active (just in a lot of discomfort) despite the pain. So, my "Ugh, I'm a medical mystery who doesn't exactly match any symptom lists" imposter syndrome continues.
June 1, 2025
“The Migraine Brain” is a great introduction to migraines if you are someone new to getting migraines or if you are close to someone who suffers from migraines. For those individuals who already know a great deal about migraines, this book would most likely be overly simplistic. I fall somewhere in between those two categories, so there was a decent amount of useful information in the book for me. I could also see the information potentially benefitting people in my family who want to know more about the disorder. The biggest drawback for me was the amount of repetition in the book. I don’t typically like skimming books at all, but there were a few sections where the information seemed almost verbatim from other parts of the book. I also wished the author had gone into more details about the science behind migraine and provided more information about helpful preventative migraine medications, instead of simply stating that a patient went on a preventative and it helped them a lot. In addition, there were a number of grammar errors and typos that detracted from the information being presented, and it’s also important to keep in mind that this book is relatively out of date, having been published in 2008. So many references to CDs and iPods! Aside from those concerns, I would recommend this for anyone newly diagnosed with migraines who isn’t really sure where to begin with their treatment plan.
December 10, 2025
There might be some useful info in here for someone new to migraines, but as a long-time sufferer, I could have written this book myself.
Nothing new (for me) on the subject of the nature, symptoms and progression of migraines. All practical advice boils down to "find a good doctor" (duh!). The info on treatment and prevention drugs is outdated - no wonder, since being published in 2008, the book is 17 years old!
The only real wonder here is why the f**k did I even bother. A fit of true optimism.
Nothing new (for me) on the subject of the nature, symptoms and progression of migraines. All practical advice boils down to "find a good doctor" (duh!). The info on treatment and prevention drugs is outdated - no wonder, since being published in 2008, the book is 17 years old!
The only real wonder here is why the f**k did I even bother. A fit of true optimism.
September 10, 2023
one of the most comprehensive books about migraine
February 28, 2013
This is easily the best migraine book I've ever read. It's a fantastic resource and chock full of information.
The writing is dry; it's mostly information about migraines and/or examples of cases that the writer (an MD from Harvard who is a migraineur who runs has her own headache clinic) has dealt with in her clinic. The dry writing might turn some people off, but if you're like me and have read a lot of journal articles or other non-fiction writing, it shouldn't be a problem.
There are a number of forms and worksheets to help anyone discover symptoms, patterns, and triggers for their migraines, and also assess the severity (hopefully to be able to see what treatments are working). There is a lot of information to help deal with the issue holistically, it's not just about avoiding chocolate, wine, and taking medication. She comes at the problem from several angles, and mentions alternative treatments whether or not she actually agrees with them.
The reason I didn't give this book 5 stars is because I felt some of the information wasn't quite complete. I've taken most of the medications (prophylactic and treatment mentioned), so when she says "if you can't take X, you may be able to take Y, check chapter 9" and Chapter 9 doesn't address the difference between those drugs, I find it a problem. Also, she mentions that a "doctor who immediately prescribes Z is probably not a good doctor, go see ch 9" and again doesn't address that, another problem (is it because Z is dangerous, or because Doctor isn't checking out any of those other meds? what?).
So overall, amazing. Whether or not I believe the information about the pharmaceuticals in use is complete, it's still pretty good and the rest of the book is excellent, giving plenty of tools for helping deal with migraines.
The writing is dry; it's mostly information about migraines and/or examples of cases that the writer (an MD from Harvard who is a migraineur who runs has her own headache clinic) has dealt with in her clinic. The dry writing might turn some people off, but if you're like me and have read a lot of journal articles or other non-fiction writing, it shouldn't be a problem.
There are a number of forms and worksheets to help anyone discover symptoms, patterns, and triggers for their migraines, and also assess the severity (hopefully to be able to see what treatments are working). There is a lot of information to help deal with the issue holistically, it's not just about avoiding chocolate, wine, and taking medication. She comes at the problem from several angles, and mentions alternative treatments whether or not she actually agrees with them.
The reason I didn't give this book 5 stars is because I felt some of the information wasn't quite complete. I've taken most of the medications (prophylactic and treatment mentioned), so when she says "if you can't take X, you may be able to take Y, check chapter 9" and Chapter 9 doesn't address the difference between those drugs, I find it a problem. Also, she mentions that a "doctor who immediately prescribes Z is probably not a good doctor, go see ch 9" and again doesn't address that, another problem (is it because Z is dangerous, or because Doctor isn't checking out any of those other meds? what?).
So overall, amazing. Whether or not I believe the information about the pharmaceuticals in use is complete, it's still pretty good and the rest of the book is excellent, giving plenty of tools for helping deal with migraines.
August 13, 2018
There is some great overall information for migraineurs in this book and it's quite comprehensive, so from that point of view, I would recommend the book.
But what I didn't like about this book at all is the attitude. This is not a book to empower migraineurs. It's in fact a book that drives home the theory that migraineurs are sick, weak people who need to depend on the help of others. Every other paragraph was either referring the reader to "talk to your doctor", "consult your doctor", "tell your doctor" or some other professional (personal gym trainer, yoga instructor, dietician, etc). It's quite clear that the author is very heavily invested in the conventional medical establishment.
If you can get past this, though, there are also some great worksheets to use to help track your migraine attacks, triggers, and a worksheet for a treatment plan.
But what I didn't like about this book at all is the attitude. This is not a book to empower migraineurs. It's in fact a book that drives home the theory that migraineurs are sick, weak people who need to depend on the help of others. Every other paragraph was either referring the reader to "talk to your doctor", "consult your doctor", "tell your doctor" or some other professional (personal gym trainer, yoga instructor, dietician, etc). It's quite clear that the author is very heavily invested in the conventional medical establishment.
If you can get past this, though, there are also some great worksheets to use to help track your migraine attacks, triggers, and a worksheet for a treatment plan.
November 14, 2008
quite good, I suppose. If you have already read a lot about migraines, or neurology or pharmacology in your life with migraines, you probably know most of this already. However would be an excellent book if you haven't, also the charts etc to fill in with headache patterns etc well worth the purchase price alone.
May 23, 2021
This book is so informative! It does a good job of explaining what's happening in the brain during a migraine attack and also has a chapter dedicated to creating your own personalised migraine treatment plan. It also acknowledges that you can't completely cure migraines, but you can definitely treat them.
February 9, 2020
This taught me a lot and I’ve been relatively migraine free since reading it. I appreciate the feminist focus on taking women’s pain seriously.
August 10, 2025
Dr. Bernstein writes about all aspects of the disease and the impacts in a migraineur´s life and the most important of all: what can you do to reduce the frequency of your migraines, in a very practical way.
The book starts defining what is a migraine and how to differentiate diverse types of headaches from a migraine. Migraines are caused by a Cortical Spreading Depression, a wave of electrical "excitation" that spreads across the surface of the brain, causing a chain reaction that leads to quimical alterations in brain cells to finally becomes a full migraine. This is important to know because this process is different from a common headache.
Dr. Bernstein talks about common triggers, tips on how to identify your own triggers, how to measure the intensity of your migraines, how to find a good migraine´s specialist and a checklist of itens that you should discuss to your doctor, improving the quality of the treatment.
There is information about triptans (medicines to abort the building up process of a migraine), and talks about preventive medicines (and in which cases they are most recommended), painkillers for when having a migraine in full atack, guidances for ER, and yet options of treatment for those who doesn´t want to take any medicines.
The author teaches how to build a life plan to live heathier and reduce the frequency of migraines and the book is full of Dr. Bernstein patient´s cases which is very interesting to know how different migraines can be for each one of us and the impact in life.
I recommend reading this work, for sure it helped me to deal better with this condition and have a better life!
The book starts defining what is a migraine and how to differentiate diverse types of headaches from a migraine. Migraines are caused by a Cortical Spreading Depression, a wave of electrical "excitation" that spreads across the surface of the brain, causing a chain reaction that leads to quimical alterations in brain cells to finally becomes a full migraine. This is important to know because this process is different from a common headache.
Dr. Bernstein talks about common triggers, tips on how to identify your own triggers, how to measure the intensity of your migraines, how to find a good migraine´s specialist and a checklist of itens that you should discuss to your doctor, improving the quality of the treatment.
There is information about triptans (medicines to abort the building up process of a migraine), and talks about preventive medicines (and in which cases they are most recommended), painkillers for when having a migraine in full atack, guidances for ER, and yet options of treatment for those who doesn´t want to take any medicines.
The author teaches how to build a life plan to live heathier and reduce the frequency of migraines and the book is full of Dr. Bernstein patient´s cases which is very interesting to know how different migraines can be for each one of us and the impact in life.
I recommend reading this work, for sure it helped me to deal better with this condition and have a better life!
March 11, 2018
I get migraines. Anyone who gets them knows the pain is excruciating. I went to a neurologist for help, she took my history, told me to read this book and come back in a week. My husband and I read it together and took notes, returning to the doctor as instructed. She didn’t remember telling to read the book and didn’t remember the book all. I’ve included this in my review to make the point that this doctor like so many other others don’t take migraines seriously. They treat them as “headaches” or or as one doctor suggested we are “looking for something to take off the edge.” There are a few good, caring doctors out there but most of them treat us like hypochondriacs or just someone looking for drugs.
Not in this book. I felt like there was good research behind their writing and everything was written in plain understandable English. I felt like they really wanted to educate the reader and lead him/her to s healthier life hopefully migraine free.
I really enjoyed this book not only for the information but because the authors wrote to real, suffering people. People who were tired of the runaround, money lost, jobs lost, relationships lost, and life in general strained.
I found that by highlighting whatever information I identified with was helpful for cross checking and for sharing with the doctor.
It turned out I diagnosed my own triggers: very dark heavy red wines, nightshade vegetables, and my Spring and Fall allergens. Knowing this, especially about the nightshades ( oh how I’ll miss them) I’ve been able to reduce my migraines to the occasional one per year. I recommend this book to anyone who has migraines and has given up on getting rid of them.
Ask around, find a great doctor and go armed with a highlighted copy of this book on your phone or tablet. I’m not promising anything, I don’t believe the book does either, but it’s a place to start if your doctor says you can work on your plan. Good luck!
Not in this book. I felt like there was good research behind their writing and everything was written in plain understandable English. I felt like they really wanted to educate the reader and lead him/her to s healthier life hopefully migraine free.
I really enjoyed this book not only for the information but because the authors wrote to real, suffering people. People who were tired of the runaround, money lost, jobs lost, relationships lost, and life in general strained.
I found that by highlighting whatever information I identified with was helpful for cross checking and for sharing with the doctor.
It turned out I diagnosed my own triggers: very dark heavy red wines, nightshade vegetables, and my Spring and Fall allergens. Knowing this, especially about the nightshades ( oh how I’ll miss them) I’ve been able to reduce my migraines to the occasional one per year. I recommend this book to anyone who has migraines and has given up on getting rid of them.
Ask around, find a great doctor and go armed with a highlighted copy of this book on your phone or tablet. I’m not promising anything, I don’t believe the book does either, but it’s a place to start if your doctor says you can work on your plan. Good luck!
July 27, 2019
I found this book at a time most helpful when I was wanting to understand Migraines.
I believe this book is wonderful to have on hand to refer back to and or a coffee table book
and not in a bad but a good way to be able to pick it up and put it down again and again.
There are sections I refer back to every now and then. It has been amazing for myself
and sharing with others trying to understand migraines.
I believe this book is wonderful however, I will say the information was good but,
some of it was dry and or may not apply to you at all but, as a book to refer to
and or help others understand one's migraines or help one explain migraines better it truly
is a great book to have.
It was also helpful in helping recognize or spot my triggers before a migraine to hopefully stop it in tracks before it becomes a full on migraine.
I believe this book is wonderful to have on hand to refer back to and or a coffee table book
and not in a bad but a good way to be able to pick it up and put it down again and again.
There are sections I refer back to every now and then. It has been amazing for myself
and sharing with others trying to understand migraines.
I believe this book is wonderful however, I will say the information was good but,
some of it was dry and or may not apply to you at all but, as a book to refer to
and or help others understand one's migraines or help one explain migraines better it truly
is a great book to have.
It was also helpful in helping recognize or spot my triggers before a migraine to hopefully stop it in tracks before it becomes a full on migraine.
November 13, 2022
5 plus stars!!! Wow! This book is the most informative book on migraines I have ever read, hands down. I have learned things from this wonderful book that I've never heard from any doctor in 32 years of having migraines. I had no idea that migraine is a disease that is incurable, but treatable. Every migraine sufferer or family member of a migranuer will benefit from this book.
The ball is in my court now...now to apply what I've learned in the book...I have to make changes with eating better and exercise. I didn't realize until this book how important these both are to helping reduce migraines. I am going to use the quick list in the book and have started writing out my triggers, profile and history. This alone has been eye opening.
Thank you to the authors of this book! Highly recommend!!
The ball is in my court now...now to apply what I've learned in the book...I have to make changes with eating better and exercise. I didn't realize until this book how important these both are to helping reduce migraines. I am going to use the quick list in the book and have started writing out my triggers, profile and history. This alone has been eye opening.
Thank you to the authors of this book! Highly recommend!!
March 29, 2025
If your brain had a drama rating, it would be Oscar-worthy – migraines, cluster headache (aka the "ice pick to the skull" special), and all their annoying cousins. Dr. Carolyn Bernstein gets it. This book isn’t just medical jargon; it’s your cheat sheet to fewer headaches and better health.
Why it’s a game-changer:
✔ Decodes migraine science – Without putting you to sleep (unless you’re reading during a headache, then… fair).
✔ Covers cluster headaches – Because "excruciating pain" deserves more than a shrug.
✔ Lifestyle fixes that work – Beyond "hydrate and pray."
Best part? It’s like having a neuro doc in your pocket – smart, helpful, and no co-pay.
Perfect for: Anyone who’s ever cursed their own brain. Now if only it came with a magic "off" switch…
Why it’s a game-changer:
✔ Decodes migraine science – Without putting you to sleep (unless you’re reading during a headache, then… fair).
✔ Covers cluster headaches – Because "excruciating pain" deserves more than a shrug.
✔ Lifestyle fixes that work – Beyond "hydrate and pray."
Best part? It’s like having a neuro doc in your pocket – smart, helpful, and no co-pay.
Perfect for: Anyone who’s ever cursed their own brain. Now if only it came with a magic "off" switch…
March 4, 2019
Very insightful and practical.
I had my first migraine attack when I was nine years old, and this book has taught me more than any of the neurologists I´ve seen in those thirty years that have passed since. Now this book is standing on my bookshelf like the first friend who ever took those debilitating aura migraines seriously, reminding me day after day that I have to take care of myself. It also gave me the tools to explain this illness to other people.
If you are sick and tired of people refering to your migraines as "a bad headache", telling you that you shouldn´t eat chocolate, and if no one has ever told you that women with aura migraines should think twice before taking anticonceptives: buy this book.
I had my first migraine attack when I was nine years old, and this book has taught me more than any of the neurologists I´ve seen in those thirty years that have passed since. Now this book is standing on my bookshelf like the first friend who ever took those debilitating aura migraines seriously, reminding me day after day that I have to take care of myself. It also gave me the tools to explain this illness to other people.
If you are sick and tired of people refering to your migraines as "a bad headache", telling you that you shouldn´t eat chocolate, and if no one has ever told you that women with aura migraines should think twice before taking anticonceptives: buy this book.
December 12, 2020
If you suffer from migraines I recommend you read this book. I have suffered from migraines for years but thought they were just bad headaches. This book looks at what migraines really are, and all the types there are.
It has some great advice on how to deal with your migraine; whether you want to medicate or not. I agreed with a lot of the advice, but I'm not into all the alternate methods she suggested, but I guess every one has the right to do those if they wish.
Certainly worth the read if you suffer from migraines and you want to understand more about them. Also great if someone close to you is a migraine sufferer and you want to understand what they go through.
It has some great advice on how to deal with your migraine; whether you want to medicate or not. I agreed with a lot of the advice, but I'm not into all the alternate methods she suggested, but I guess every one has the right to do those if they wish.
Certainly worth the read if you suffer from migraines and you want to understand more about them. Also great if someone close to you is a migraine sufferer and you want to understand what they go through.
December 28, 2019
Been plagued by migraines since I was ten. Have usually been brushed off by doctors with "it's just a migraine" or worse still "it's just a head ache" or one's that give me painkillers that don't get the job done.
The book helps you understand migraines and better understand how it is more than a headache. It walks you through the strategies to prevent (to a large extent), abort or rescue from a migraine.
It also gives good advice on what to look for in a doctor, the kind of treatments that are available and what to explore with your physician.
The book helps you understand migraines and better understand how it is more than a headache. It walks you through the strategies to prevent (to a large extent), abort or rescue from a migraine.
It also gives good advice on what to look for in a doctor, the kind of treatments that are available and what to explore with your physician.
December 6, 2024
Excellent book written by a Neurologist who also suffers from migraines, so she really understands migraines. Of course, I found it interesting that she tends to refer to all doctors as 'she' seems to assume that most migraine sufferers are (which is true, as male sufferer of migraines I'm in the minority) would tend to favor female doctors. I actually currently seen, and have seen in the past, a female neurologist for the reason that where I live most headache specialists are female. Not that I have anything against women doctors, I've had MANY over the decades.
November 15, 2017
A must read for anyone who suffers from migraines, or wants to better understand someone close to them who does. There is so much useful information and practical tips you can put into practice right away to begin taking control of your migraines. I’ve already noticed considerable improvement in understanding my migraine triggers and how to keep a migraine at bay.
February 7, 2018
Very informative. She's a secular doctor, so there were some things I disagreed with worldview-wise, but on the whole, it was very helpful in understanding why I get migraines and telling me that I'm on the right track by identifying my triggers and eating in a more healthy, regular (and more often) manner.
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