The multiple ways climate change threatens to make migraines worse
UC expert featured in Wired article
Changes in weather have long been associated as a migraine trigger, and the University of Cincinnati's Vince Martin, MD, recently published research that found hotter temperatures increase the chance of a migraine attack.
The recent study looked at use of the drug Fremanezumab and whether it could prevent headaches caused by temperature increases. Produced by Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Fremanezumab is sold under the brand name AJOVY®, administered by injection under the skin to treat migraines.
A research team led by Martin cross-referenced 71,030 daily diary records of 660 migraine patients with regional weather data and found that for every temperature increase of 10 degrees Fahrenheit daily, there was a 6% increase in occurrence of any headache. However, during the time periods of Fremanezumab treatment the association completely disappeared.
Martin told Wired he believes climate change could worsen migraines for patients in the long term.
“Patients will often say that they can predict the weather,” Martin, professor in the Department of Internal Medicine in UC's College of Medicine and director of the Headache and Facial Pain Center at the University of Cincinnati Gardner Neuroscience Institute, said. “I think [climate change] is going to have an enormous effect on migraine."
Related Stories
Cincinnati sees record rainfall in weekend deluge
July 21, 2026
The Cincinnati Enquirer talks to UC College of Engineering and Applied Science Associate Professor Patrick Ray for context about a July 17 rainstorm that dumped a record amount of rain on parts of Cincinnati.
Putting preschool into perspective
July 20, 2026
Preschool and childcare can be difficult to navigate for parents, as Spectrum News 1 Ohio recently reported. Waitlists are long, and factors like cost, location and transportation can limit options. According to a recent study published by The Annie E. Casey Foundation, only 41% of 3- to 4-year-olds in Ohio were enrolled in preschool between 2020 and 2024 — a 4% decrease from pre-pandemic numbers. For University of Cincinnati early childhood education faculty member Chad Nunamaker, that statistic has caveats.
Engineering magnets for a cleaner future
July 20, 2026
The United States is heavily reliant on imported rare-earth materials to make permanent magnets. Ugochukwu Philip Ochieze, materials science student at the University of Cincinnati, is studying how to use common materials to create permanent magnets, eliminating the need for expensive and scarce rare-earth materials. Pursuing his PhD, Ochieze was named Graduate Student Engineer of the Month by the College of Engineering and Applied Science.