Unraveling Migraine (2nd Edition)
Ships with Prime · Returns handled by Amazon
Migraine isn't just a headache. Here's the whole story.
The fully revised, evidence-based guide, written for patients and physicians alike. 821 pages, 98 chapters, fully illustrated.
One of the most comprehensive and accessible resources on migraine available today. I highly recommend it.

It has the depth of a medical textbook while remaining approachable for patients. I'd recommend it without hesitation.

The migraine hacks chapter gets every call right. That's the kind of accuracy I look for in a book.

The ultimate blueprint to navigate migraine care. Staggering depth and flawless, up-to-date clinical accuracy, without overwhelming the reader.

Migraine doesn't always look like migraine. This book illuminates the connections with facial and jaw pain with scientific rigor and remarkable clarity.

Complex topics are explained clearly without oversimplifying them, empowering patients to take an active role in managing their migraine. An outstanding resource for patients and clinicians alike.

Grounded in the best available evidence yet remarkably accessible, this is the rare book written equally for the patient and the physician. It leaves readers with something just as important as knowledge: hope.

Unraveling Migraine is the guide you didn't know you needed. Remarkably up to date, it cites clinical evidence and mechanism-based treatments like CGRP and PACAP through 2026, striking a rare balance between accessible language and rigorous science.

In a space filled with misinformation, this book keeps the focus where it belongs: evidence, clarity, and better patient care.

Who it's for
Written for both sides of the appointment
Clear enough for patients, deep enough for the physicians treating them.

People living with migraine
Plain-language explanations of what is happening in your brain during an attack, and what your treatment options are.

Clinicians
Mechanisms, classification and treatment evidence in depth, meticulously researched and referenced throughout.

Students and future clinicians
A structured path from the biology of an attack to diagnosis, treatment and the research ahead.
Migraine is a brain disease, not just a headache
This book treats migraine like the neurological disease it is, with clear, original illustrations on every topic.

See it, don't just read about it

What's happening in the brain
The trigeminal system, CGRP, and neurogenic inflammation, mapped step by step so the mechanism finally makes sense.

An attack has four phases
Prodrome, aura, headache, and postdrome. Knowing where you are in an attack changes what you should do about it.

Not one condition, but many
Migraine with and without aura, plus subtypes like vestibular, hemiplegic, and brainstem aura. The book maps who is who and why it matters.



Everything you need, nothing left out
Evidence-basedMeticulously researched and referenced
Dual-trackPlain for patients, deep for physicians
Women's migraineHormones across every life stage
Practical toolsDiary, action plan, red flags98 chapters across 13 parts
From the biology of an attack all the way to living well with the disease.
Show all chaptersHide chapters
Part I · Understanding Migraine
- 1Migraine Is a Disease, Not Just a Headache
- 2What's Happening in the Brain: Pathophysiology
- 3The Global Picture
- 4The Genetics of Migraine
- 5The Migraine Phases and Timeline
- 6Reading the Prodrome
- 7Aura: What It Is and What It Tells Us
- 8The Migraine Brain Over Time
- 9Cutaneous Allodynia
Part II · Subtypes, Diagnosis & Classification
- 10Migraine Subtypes
- 11Vestibular Migraine: A Deep Dive
- 12Hemiplegic Migraine and MUMS
- 13Migraine with Brainstem Aura
- 14Retinal Migraine: A Deep Dive
- 15Abdominal Migraine: A Deep Dive
- 16Status Migrainosus
- 17Migraine Complications
- 18Classifying Migraine: Episodic and Chronic
- 19Telling Headaches Apart: A Timeline Guide
Part III · Acute Treatment
- 20Principles of Acute Management
- 21Triptans
- 22Gepants
- 23Ditans
- 24DHE and the Ergots
- 25Simple Analgesics, NSAIDs & Combinations
- 26Novel & Off-Label Options: Timolol Eye Drops
- 27Choosing the Administration Route
- 28The ED and the Migraine Cocktail
- 29Gepant Safety in the Real World
- 30Acute Treatment in Special Situations
Part IV · Preventive Treatment
- 31When to Prevent, and the Options
- 32Evidence-Based Guidelines & Pearls
- 33Combining Preventives Safely
- 34CGRP Therapies
- 35CGRP Safety: Known and Watched
- 36Botox and Peripheral Nerve Blocks
- 37Neuromodulation & Digital Therapeutics
- 38Nutraceuticals and Herbal Options
- 39Cannabinoids
- 40Psychedelics and Headache Disorders
- 41Biofeedback and Behavioral Approaches
- 42Migraine Surgery (Nerve Decompression)
Part V · Medication Overuse / Adaptation
- 43Medication Overuse / Adaptation Headache
- 44The Endocannabinoid System
Part VI · Special Populations & Life Stages
- 45Migraine in Women and Men, Across Life
- 46Hormones and Menstrual Migraine
- 47Pregnancy, Breastfeeding & Planning
- 48Pediatric Migraine
- 49Childhood Episodic Syndromes
- 50Migraine in Older Adults
Part VII · Comorbidities & Whole-Body
- 51Why Migraine Travels With Other Conditions
- 52Cardiovascular Disease, Stroke & PFO
- 53Depression and Mental Health
- 54Sleep
- 55Thyroid (Overt and Subclinical)
- 56The Gut-Brain Axis
- 57Endometriosis, Chronic Pain, Acne & Jaw Pain
Part VIII · Triggers, Lifestyle & Self-Management
- 58The Trigger Myth and a Smarter Approach
- 59Weather and Air Quality
- 60Modifiable Risk Factors You Can Change
- 61Daily Levers: Caffeine, Sleep, Exercise
- 62Diet and Nutrition for Migraine
- 63Exercise and Migraine
- 64An Evidence-Based Breathing Protocol
- 65Complementary and Alternative Medicine
- 66Migraine Hacks: What Goes Viral, What Works
- 67Light Sensitivity and Light-Based Therapies
Part IX · Living with Migraine
- 68Tracking and Assessment Tools
- 69Working With Your Clinician & Advocacy
- 70Thinking Critically About Migraine Claims
Part X · Women and Migraine: In Depth
- 71Endometriosis and Migraine: A Deeper Look
- 72Hormone Replacement Therapy and Migraine
- 73Perimenopause: The Hardest Stretch
- 74Contraception and the Woman With Migraine
- 75PMOS (Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome)
- 76Fertility, Infertility, and IVF
- 77Menstrual Migraine: A Deep Dive
- 78Postpartum and Breastfeeding Migraine
Part XI · Further Connections
- 79Neck Pain and Migraine
- 80Oral Health and Migraine (TMJD)
- 81Sleep Apnea and Migraine
- 82IBS, the Gut, and Migraine
- 83Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS)
- 84POTS, Dysautonomia, and Migraine
- 85Fibromyalgia and Migraine
- 86Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)
Part XII · Other Headache & Facial Pain
- 87Tension-Type Headache
- 88The Trigeminal Autonomic Cephalalgias
- 89Occipital Neuralgia
- 90Cervicogenic Headache
- 91Post-Traumatic Headache
- 92Post-COVID and Post-Viral Headache
- 93Visual Snow Syndrome
- 94Alice in Wonderland Syndrome
- 95Sinus Headache and Migraine
Part XIII · The Future
- 96Biomarkers: Can a Blood Test Measure It?
- 97Novel Treatments and What's Next
- 98Drugs in the Pipeline: Treatments in Trials
Ships with Prime · Returns handled by Amazon
Questions
About the book
Who is Unraveling Migraine for?
People living with migraine and the physicians treating them. It treats migraine as the neurological disease it is, in language patients can follow, with the depth clinicians expect.
How long is it?
821 pages across 98 chapters in 13 parts, plus six appendices, fully illustrated with original figures.
What is in the appendices?
A headache and migraine diary, an appointment prep guide, a migraine action plan, emergency red flags, resources and support, and when neuroimaging is (and isn't) needed.
Is this the new edition?
Yes. This is the fully revised 2nd Edition, published in 2026.
Where can I buy it?
Unraveling Migraine is available on Amazon. Every buy button on this page goes straight to its Amazon listing.
More from Cerebral Torque
Every purchase keeps our migraine education free. Sold on Amazon, with CROWN Plus coming soon.
The everyday roller
CROWN
For daily use and migraine attacks. Menthol, camphor and magnesium, with Bing Pian and Chuan Xiong from Chinese medicine. Lavender-free.
For migraine attacks
CROWN Plus
Maximum cooling: the Triple Cool Complex over Bing Pian, Chuan Xiong and Bai Zhi. Lavender-free.
Migraine tracker
The Migraine Record
Attack logs, calendars and the paperwork your neurologist, insurer and job ask for.
Guides to read alongside the book
Free guides on the same ground the book covers, from the biology of an attack to treatment.
Choosing a book
The Best Book on Migraine: How to Choose One That's Actually Worth Reading
Most migraine books are outdated or hard to read. Here's what makes a migraine book worth your time, and why Unraveling Migraine (2nd Edition) is our...
Read moreAcute treatment
Acute Migraine Treatment
What to take when an attack hits: triptans, NSAIDs, gepants, dosing and timing.
Read morePrevention
Migraine Preventive Medications: Which Work Best (2026)
A 199-trial network analysis ranks migraine preventives by effectiveness and tolerability.
Read moreHow migraine works
Migraine Pathophysiology
What happens in the brain during an attack, and how that shapes modern treatment.
Read more








