If you’ve never had a migraine headache, you are lucky. Sufferers say the pain alone is wretched, and there are a host of other awful symptoms. A migraine can garble a person’s speech, paralyze parts of the body, cause the sensation of a room spinning, and make any motion feel like moving through molasses.

Dr. Dorothy Dada, a neurologist at Providence Saint John's Medical Center, a hospital partner of the Pacific Neuroscience Institute, specializes in migraines and in helping people get relief from them. Migraines are among the top five causes of disability in women, who are more prone to migraines than men. Their cause remains a mystery. Evidence points to heredity, but not every migraine sufferer appears to have a genetic history.

Fortunately, there are treatments beyond painkillers like ibuprofen. Antidepressants that bolster the neurotransmitter Serotonin help in many cases. Listen to this episode of Think Neuro to learn how experts like Dr. Dorothy Dada are tackling this debilitating—and all too common—ailment.

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