Show Notes
Do your migraines seem to flare up as temperatures rise? Summer heat can place unique stress on the migraine brain, often triggering symptoms long before the pain begins. In this episode of Migraine Heroes Podcast, host Diane Ducarme explains how heat, dehydration, and sudden temperature shifts can impact migraine sufferers differently—and what you can do to stay one step ahead. You’ll discover: ☀️ Five early clues that summer heat may be contributing to your migraine attacks ☀️ Why hot weather, fluid loss, and temperature fluctuations can affect the migraine brain so strongly ☀️ Simple ways to protect yourself from heat-related migraines and enjoy the season with greater confidence Understanding your body's early signals can help you take action before a migraine fully develops. This episode offers practical insights to help you navigate warmer months with fewer disruptions and more peace of mind. 🎧 New episodes every Monday and Wednesday 🔗 Discover our work on migraineheroes.com
References: Weather and Air Pollution as Triggers of Severe Headaches (Mukamal et al., 2009): This study examined emergency visits for headache and found that higher temperature and some air pollution exposures may increase severe headache risk. Read more here. Advances in Understanding the Mechanisms of Migraine-Type Photophobia (Noseda & Burstein, 2011): This review explains how light can worsen migraine through connections between visual pathways and pain-processing brain networks. Read more here The Triggers or Precipitants of the Acute Migraine Attack (Kelman, 2007): This study reviews common migraine triggers, including stress, hormones, weather, sleep disruption, diet, and sensory factors. Read more here. Toward a Rational Understanding of Migraine Trigger Factors (Martin & Behbehani, 2001): This review explains how migraine triggers may interact with individual susceptibility and brain excitability rather than acting as simple one-to-one causes. Read more here. Water Deprivation: A New Migraine Precipitant (Blau, 2005): This paper reports that fluid deprivation may trigger migraine attacks in some people, adding dehydration to the list of possible migraine precipitants. Read more here. Migraine and the Environment (Friedman & De Ver Dye, 2009): This reviews on environmental migraine triggers such as weather, light, air quality, odors, and indoor/workplace exposures. Read more here.
Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for providing medical advice. Always consult your healthcare professional before making any health-related decisions. For women, men, and children who suffer from migraine disease, Migraine Heroes is your go-to resource for understanding, managing, and overcoming migraine attacks. We cover all types of migraines and related headaches, including primary and secondary migraines, chronic migraines, and cluster migraines. We dive deep into the complexities of migraine with aura and migraine without aura, as well as rarer forms like hemiplegic migraine, retinal migraine, and acephalgic migraine (silent migraine). Our discussions also extend to cervicogenic headaches, ice pick headaches, and pressure headaches, which often mimic migraine or contribute to overall migraine burden.
More from Migraine Heroes
For some people, COVID ends, but the headache does not. Long COVID can bring a new headache pattern or make an existing migraine condition feel very different. In this episode of Migraine Heroes Podcast, host Diane Ducarme explores why migraine, fatigue, poor sleep, dizziness and brain fog can sometimes appear together after COVID and why it may help to look beyond the head alone. You’ll learn: 💡 Why Long COVID may trigger new headaches or worsen an existing migraine pattern 💡 Why fatigue, sleep problems, dizziness, brain fog and exercise intolerance may sometimes travel alongside migraine 💡 Why recognizing your new post-COVID migraine pattern can be more useful than assuming your old triggers still explain everything When the pattern changes, understanding what has changed can be the first step toward making sense of your symptoms. 🎧 New episodes every Monday and Wednesday 🔗 Discover our work on migraineheroes.com
What if one of your biggest migraine triggers is something you have never thought to notice? In this episode of Migraine Heroes Podcast, host Diane Ducarme takes you through a practical “trigger scan”: from sleep, hormones and food to weather, sensory overload, posture and more without turning migraine management into a life of avoidance. You’ll learn: 💡 How to spot less obvious migraine triggers across your everyday routines, environment and body 💡 How to observe patterns without obsessing or eliminating everything and identify the few things that may actually matter for you The goal is not a smaller life built around avoiding triggers, but greater awareness of what helps your body become more stable. 🎧 New episodes every Monday and Wednesday 🔗 Discover our work on migraineheroes.com Few of the trigger episodes mentioned: Indulgence or Insight? What Chocolate, Cheese & Wine Reveal About Your Brain The Fasting Paradox: Why Skipping Meals Can Spark Migraine and Stress Why Red Wine Triggers Migraines for Some People And What Science Reveals Kombucha for Migraine: Healing Tonic or Hidden Trigger? 5 Reasons Why Fragrance & Perfume Smells Are Triggering Your Migraines & What To Do About It When Light Hurts: The Hidden Link Between Screens, Stress, and Migraine Hidden Sugar and Blood Sugar Spikes: The Silent Migraine Trigger
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Have a migraine question you wish you could ask Diane directly? Every other Thursday, Diane opens the door for a small, informal live Q&A, bring your question or simply come and listen. The next sessions are October 22 and November 5, 2026. They are not recorded, so the conversation stays with the people in the room. 👉 To join, register at migraineheroes.com/live
Could your jaw be quietly adding fuel to your migraine attacks? In this episode of Migraine Heroes Podcast, host Diane Ducarme explores how jaw tension, clenching, and TMJ dysfunction may interact with migraine, especially if you wake with headaches or feel pain around your temples. You’ll learn: 💡 How to recognize signs that jaw tension or clenching may be contributing to your migraine 💡 Why teeth and tongue position at rest matter and why a mouth guard may not solve the clenching itself 💡 A simple jaw-reset routine you can try at home to release tension and calm the system Sometimes, a small change in how you hold your jaw can make a surprisingly meaningful difference. 🎧 New episodes every Monday and Wednesday 🔗 Discover our work on migraineheroes.com