HeadWise

In this episode, host Lindsay Weitzel, PhD, is joined by headache specialist Fred Cohen, MD, to explore one of the most common questions people ask about headache disorders: What does it mean if my head hurts in a specific location?

In this episode, host Lindsay Weitzel, PhD is joined by Tim Smith, MD and migraine clinical trial participant Tierra Lillard to explore how migraine clinical trials help advance treatment options and improve care for people living with migraine.

In this episode, host Lindsay Weitzel, PhD, is joined by neurologist Amelia Barrett, MD, to explore the role of tyramine in headache and migraine. They break down what tyramine is, how it affects the body, and why certain foods may trigger headache or migraine attacks in some people.

In this week’s episode of HeadWise, Lindsay Weitzel, PhD, and Tim Smith, MD, break down the latest migraine research news. They discuss a new PACAP-targeting migraine treatment in development, research on exercise and migraine frequency, “false non-responders” to CGRP therapies, and new findings on THC/CBD and vaporized cannabis for migraine treatment. Listen now for a closer look at emerging migr...

Behavioral therapies can play a key role in migraine care. In this episode of HeadWise, Lindsay Weitzel, PhD, is joined by Dawn Buse, PhD, to break down approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), biofeedback, relaxation training, mindfulness, and ACT. Learn how these strategies help regulate the nervous system, reduce symptoms, and improve quality of life for people living with migraine.

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 illn...

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 l...

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 phys...

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 peop...

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 lea...

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 poten...

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...

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-cle...

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. W...

Moving from high school to college, or from your parents’ care to your own, can be a major life transition. For people living with migraine or other headache disorders, these changes can also mean adjusting how you access, organize, and maintain effective care. In this episode of HeadWise, Dr. Lindsay Weitzel talks with Dr. Hope O’Brien, neurologist, headache specialist, and CEO of the Headache Ce...

When a migraine attack strikes, finding the right acute treatment can make all the difference. In this episode of HeadWise, Lindsay Weitzel, PhD, talks with Dr. Robert Kaniecki, Director of the UPMC Headache Center, about today’s full range of acute migraine medications — what they are, how they work, and who they help most. Together they review everything from over-the-counter pain relievers to a...

In this episode of HeadWise, Lindsay Weitzel, PhD talks with Paula Dumas, founder of Migraine Again and co-host of the Migraine World Summit, about what happens when migraine forces you to rethink your career path. Paula shares her personal journey and the lessons she’s learned along the way. Together, Lindsay and Paula explore: - How to recognize when your job is no longer working for your health...

What are the limits of mind-body approaches in managing migraine? In this episode of HeadWise, Lindsay Weitzel, PhD, talks with Elizabeth Seng, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychology and expert in headache psychology, about the promises and pitfalls of behavioral strategies for migraine. Together, they explore: - Why lifestyle and psychological techniques can help but don’t “cure” migraine - How m...

In this special HeadWise News episode, Lindsay Weitzel, PhD and Tim Smith, MD, break down some of the most talked-about new studies in headache and migraine research. Topics include: GLP-1 medications and their potential to reduce migraine days Reassuring data on ubrogepant use while breastfeeding How memantine may help adolescents with migraine The link between Ajovy and improved outcomes for pat...

In this episode of HeadWise, Lindsay Weitzel, PhD, is joined by neurosurgeon Dr. Betsy Grunch to explore idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH)—also known as pseudotumor cerebri or high-pressure headache. Dr. Grunch explains what IIH is, why it can be difficult to diagnose, and how it differs from migraine and other headache disorders. Follow Dr. Betsy Grunch (Ladyspinedoc) on social media: Fa...

Cervicogenic headache is head pain caused by neck problems and can be misdiagnosed as migraine. Host Lindsay Weitzel, PhD, discusses causes, diagnosis, and treatments, from physical therapy to surgery, with guest neurosurgeon Betsy Grunch, MD. You’ll learn: ⬩ How cervicogenic headache differs from migraine ⬩ Why trauma isn’t the only cause—arthritis, degeneration, and hypermobility can play a role...

What does it really mean to “take control” of your migraine or head pain? In this episode of HeadWise™, host Lindsay Weitzel, PhD, speaks with Elizabeth Seng, PhD, psychologist, researcher, and professor at Yeshiva University, about the psychological concept of locus of control and how it applies to people living with migraine and headache disease. They explore: - What “locus of control” and “self...

Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) is more than just jaw pain—it can play a surprising role in migraine and head pain. In this episode of HeadWise™, Lindsay Weitzel, PhD, sits down with headache specialist Fred Cohen, MD, to explore how structural jaw issues might contribute to migraine attacks. They break down: - The difference between TMJ and TMD - How TMD can trigger or worsen migraine through th...

In this episode of HeadWise™, Lindsay Weitzel, PhD, sits down with certified craniosacral therapist Elizabeth Browning Jones, RMT, to explore how this gentle, hands-on therapy may help people living with migraine and head pain. They unpack the science and theory behind craniosacral therapy, how it supports the nervous system, and why a light touch can lead to deep relief. This episode offers insig...