What's behind the mysterious rise of migraines? Scientists are uncovering new clues.

A systematic review of medical research published in May of [2024] found a growing trend of more frequent and worse migraine attacks. While the review found that migraines in the U.S. are as common as they were three decades ago, the severity and level of impairment from migraine attacks nearly doubled between 2005 and 2018. And while women tend to be more prone to migraine attacks than men, men are increasingly affected by the neurologic condition.

One of the leading theories behind this mysterious rise is that climate change may be playing a role.

“Climate change appears to be contributing to more frequent and severe migraine flare-ups by amplifying environmental conditions that are already known triggers such as higher temperatures, wider temperature swings, worsening air quality, and changes in barometric pressure,” says Danielle Wilhour, an assistant professor of neurology at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

So far, most of the evidence for this link is correlational. It’s difficult to prove climate change is directly causing more migraines partly because “we cannot ethically conduct randomized controlled trials that expose people to environmental risks,” Wilhour says.

But the growing number of correlational studies is adding weight to the theory that climate change is amplifying migraine triggers.