In this deeply personal episode of Science Savvy, I sit down with Dehenna Davison, former Member of Parliament for Bishop Auckland, who made headlines when she stepped down from her dream job due to chronic migraine. Dehenna is a powerful advocate for migraine awareness, and she shares her journey—from suffering in silence to securing the first UK parliamentary debate on migraine since the 1960s.
What you will learn:💥 The science of migraine: Migraine disease is a debilitating neurological condition that affects over 1 billion people worldwide and is ranked among the top 10 most disabling disorders by the World Health Organization. It's NOT “just a headache”. We'll explain trigeminal nerve activation, neuroinflammation, vasodilation.💊 Migraine treatments and how they actually work at a molecular level: From triptans and CGRP inhibitors to Botox (botox??) and anticonvulsants (did she say convulsions?)⚖️ Access to migraine care: The frustrating barriers to treatment and the policy changes we desperately need💡 The emotional toll of migraine: How it impacts careers, relationships, and mental health🌍 Migraine advocacy: Why raising awareness is crucial for millions suffering in silence
As someone who also lives with migraine, this episode is deeply personal to me. If you or someone you love suffers from migraine attacks, THIS is the episode you need to hear.
🔗 Share this episode to help raise awareness!
#MigraineAwareness #ChronicMigraine #Neurology #BrainHealth #InvisibleIllness #DehennaDavidson #SciencePodcast #ScienceSavvy #HealthAdvocacy #HeadacheDisorders #Neuroscience #MigraineTreatment #PodcastForWomen #MentalHealthMatters #HealthPolicy
Bibliography / references / further reading:
Goadsby, P. J., Holland, P. R., Martins-Oliveira, M., Hoffmann, J., Schankin, C., & Akerman, S. (2017). Pathophysiology of migraine: A disorder of sensory processing. Physiological Reviews, 97(2), 553–622. https://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.00034.2015
Burstein, R., Noseda, R., & Borsook, D. (2015). Migraine: Multiple processes, complex pathophysiology. The Journal of Neuroscience, 35(17), 6619–6629. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0373-15.2015
Charles, A. (2018). The pathophysiology of migraine: Implications for clinical management. The Lancet Neurology, 17(2), 174–182. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1474-4422(17)30435-0
World Health Organization (WHO). (2022). Headache disorders: Key facts. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/headache-disorders
Steiner, T. J., Stovner, L. J., Jensen, R., Uluduz, D., & Katsarava, Z. (2020). Migraine remains second among the world's causes of disability, and first among young women: Findings from GBD2019. The Journal of Headache and Pain, 21(1), 137. https://doi.org/10.1186/s10194-020-01208-0
Buse, D. C., Manack, A. N., Fanning, K. M., Serrano, D., Reed, M. L., & Lipton, R. B. (2012). Chronic migraine prevalence, disability, and sociodemographic factors: Results from the American Migraine Prevalence and Prevention Study. Headache, 52(10), 1456–1470. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1526-4610.2012.02223.x
Lipton, R. B., Bigal, M. E., Diamond, M., Freitag, F., Reed, M. L., & Stewart, W. F. (2007). Migraine prevalence, disease burden, and the need for preventive therapy. Neurology, 68(5), 343–349. https://doi.org/10.1212/01.wnl.0000252808.97649.21
Prince, P. B., Rapoport, A. M., Sheftell, F. D., Tepper, S. J., & Bigal, M. E. (2004). The effect of weather on headache. Headache, 44(6), 596–602. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1526-4610.2004.446011.x
Finocchi, C., & Sivori, G. (2012). Food as trigger and aggravating factor of migraine. Neurological Sciences, 33(S1), 77–80. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-012-1046-5Migraine Treatment: Acute and Preventative Strategies
Diener, H. C., Holle, D., Solbach, K., & Gaul, C. (2021). Medication-overuse headache: Risk factors, pathophysiology, and management. Nature Reviews Neurology, 17(2), 112–124. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41582-
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