Unanswered questions about the use of Botoxᵀᴹ for chronic migraine
Onabotulinum toxinA (commonly known by its trade name Botoxᵀᴹ) is an effective treatment for chronic migraine (when headache occurs for 15 days or more a month for at least three months). Botoxᵀᴹ is famous for erasing unwanted facial wrinkles and its inclusion in the arsenal against chronic migraine was serendipitous. People with migraine who were […]
Variations in neurology referrals around the country
We’re always interested in finding out more about how people with migraine can access health care services, and what, where and when there are difficulties. Last year, we put in an Official Information Act request to Te Whatu Ora/Health New Zealand, to see if we could find out how many people were seen by neurologists […]
GPs hear about migraine research at Wellington conference
Migraine disease was on the programme of the GP24 Conference in Wellington on 27th July. This is the annual conference of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners, which is regularly attended by hundreds of GPs and provides valued continuing medication education credits. Our summer student Blair McInnernay presented at the conference, giving an […]
Large unmet need for effective migraine treatment in New Zealand
Press release Many people with migraine in New Zealand are not receiving best-practice management, according to research published today in the New Zealand Medical Journal using results from a survey of 530 people with migraine run by Migraine Foundation Aotearoa New Zealand. The lack of best-practice management occurred with both treating and preventing migraine attacks.“Prompt […]
Update on the number of people with migraine in New Zealand
In the absence of up-to-date national statistics on migraine in Aotearoa New Zealand, we rely on estimates from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study. This is an international research project that draws on data from around the world to estimate and compare the prevalence, mortality and disability impact of a large range of diseases, […]
Multiple barriers to health care for migraine disease
Press release People with migraine disease experience similar barriers to health care as patients with other conditions, but these are compounded by stigma and lack of access to modern treatments. These were findings of research published in the Journal of Primary Health Care, based on a survey of 530 people with migraine from Migraine Foundation […]
Survey results published in NZ Medical Journal
We published our first paper from the inaugural Migraine in Aotearoa New Zealand Survey in the NZ Medical Journal on Friday 22 March. This explored the impact of living with migraine in Aotearoa New Zealand From the media release sent out from the University of Otago, survey respondents reported significant disability, with half being unable […]
The reality of healthcare for migraine in New Zealand
In this guest blog, medical student Blair McInnarney shares what he has learnt about migraine health care from analysing results from the Migraine in Aotearoa New Zealand Survey. I am a fourth-year medical student at the University of Otago, based at the Wellington campus. I have spent my summer working with Migraine Foundation Aotearoa New […]
An old drug with a new migraine use
In this guest blog, Drs Barrie and Matthew Phillips reflect on their experience using aminophylline, a drug that has been used for decades in respiratory and cardiovascular medicine, in the treatment of migraine attacks. My son and I recently published a short article about migraine, which was called “Aminophylline in Pain and Migraine” and published […]
A migraine research triumph
Photo: Professor Debbie Hay, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Otago The Royal Society of New Zealand announced the recipients of the 2023 Marsden Fund this month. We were super excited to see that they awarded $941,000 to Professor Debbie Hay, for research into CGRP receptors and their relationship to migraine disease. The Marsden […]
