Aeromedical Forum: July 2015

If someone’s ever buried a hatchet in your head, you know what a migraine headache feels like. At least that’s what patients have told me.

They can be devastating, incapacitating events. Unfortunately they are common. Over 30 million Americans experience at least one episode every year. That is estimated to account for over $13 billion in lost productivity annually. They can begin in either childhood or adulthood although it’s unusual for them to start after age 50.

To make matters worse, certain types of migraines — those with a visual aura — are associated with an incre...