Magnesium's role in migraine pathogenesis is well-described, with deficiencies known to promote cortical spreading depression, alter nociceptive processing and neurotransmitter release, and encourage the hyperaggregation of platelets, all major elements of migraine development. Research on magnesium has found it to be a potentially well-tolerated, safe and inexpensive option for migraine prevention, while it may also be effective as an acute treatment option for headaches including migraines, tension- type headaches and cluster headaches, particularly in certain patient subsets. This chapter will review the various aspects of migraine in which magnesium plays a part, as well as numerous studies on the use of magnesium in both headache prophylaxis and in the acute treatment of headaches, offering recommendations in its use in clinical practice.
© 2011 The Authors.