What's behind the mysterious rise of migraines? Scientists are uncovering new clues.

Cristian-Ovidiu Marin, 34, used to get mild migraine attacks every couple of months, usually when he was stressed out or didn’t get enough sleep. About four years ago, he began getting more severe migraine flare-ups. “My migraines have become more frequent and intense, often with sharp, pounding pain, nausea, and light sensitivity that wipes out my focus for several hours, sometimes the whole day,” says Marin, the CEO of an online game company based in Bucharest.

Scientific evidence suggests Marin isn’t experiencing this change alone. A systematic review of medical research published in May of last year found a growing trend of more frequent and worse migraine attacks. While the review found that migraines in the U.S. are as common as they were three decades ago, the severity and level of impairment from migraine attacks nearly doubled between 2005 and 2018. And while women tend to be more prone to migraine attacks than men, men are increasingly affected by the neurologic condition.

One of the leading theories behind this mysterious rise is that climate change may be playing a role.

“Climate change appears to be contributing to more frequent and severe migraine flare-ups by amplifying environmental conditions that are already known triggers such as higher temperatures, wider temperature swings, worsening air quality, and changes in barometric pressure,” says Danielle Wilhour, an assistant professor of neurology at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

Marin has noticed that his recent increase in migraine attacks has coincided with these environmental changes. “It’s not just heat, either,” Marin says. “Storm fronts, humidity shifts, and sudden pressure changes also seem to trigger symptoms. It’s like my body has become its own weather barometer, warning me that something’s changing before the forecast even updates.”