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Perspective

The dura and migraine

    Elliot Shevel

    The Headache Clinic, Suite 256, P Bag X2600, Houghton 2041, South Africa.

    Search for more papers by this author

    Email the corresponding author at drshevel@headclin.com

    Published Online:10 Sep 2012https://doi.org/10.2217/fnl.12.53

    Abstract

    This article concerns the possible role of dural changes in migraine pain. The hypothesis that changes in the dura are important in migraine pain has become widely accepted among migraine scientists. A critical examination of the evidence for and against dural involvement in migraine pain shows that in spite of the extensive research that has been carried out on dural physiology and pathophysiology, there is no hard evidence that dural changes actually occur in humans during a migraine. On the contrary, the available evidence appears to indicate that it is unlikely that dural changes are part of the migraine pain process.

    Papers of special note have been highlighted as: ▪ of interest ▪▪ of considerable interest

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