Brandon May

Brandon May is a freelance medical writer and owner of May Medical Communications, LLC. He holds a BS in Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Houston. Throughout his career, he has written over 700 medical news articles across several different therapeutic areas. In addition to covering the medical news, Brandon also creates content for continuing medical education providers, hospitals, and pharmaceutical and medical device companies across the globe.

All articles by Brandon May

Migraine & Headache

Merging Chronic and High-Frequency Episodic Migraine Definitions Potentially Harmful

Brandon May

January 31, 2020

Researchers argue that chronic migraine should not be solely defined by headache frequency alone.

Migraine & Headache

Migraine Aura Complexity Score Identifies Migraine With Aura Phenotypes

Brandon May

January 21, 2020

The newly developed Migraine Aura Complexity Score is effective for stratifying patients with migraine with aura.

Migraine & Headache

Comorbidity-Based Subgroups Predict Progression of Episodic to Chronic Migraine

Brandon May

January 3, 2020

Various migraine subgroups based on comorbidities can predict the risk for the progression of episodic migraine to chronic migraine.

Migraine & Headache

Migraine Linked to Reflux Disease and Duodenal Ulcers

Brandon May

January 2, 2020

In Iran, researchers found data that showed a correlation of migraines with gastroesophageal reflux disease, Helicobacter pylori infection, and duodenal ulcer.

Migraine & Headache

Revised ICHD-3 Criteria Identifies Distinct Features of Chronic Cluster Headache

Brandon May

November 19, 2019

Revised criteria from the third edition of the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-3), can differentiate between chronic cluster headache (CCH) and episodic cluster headache (ECH) and may increase the number of CCH diagnoses.

Migraine & Headache

Onabotulinum May Decrease Opioid Use in Nonmigraine Headache

Brandon May

December 17, 2019

In patients with chronic nonmigraine headaches, onabotulinum toxin type A injections may reduce pain severity and frequency of headaches.

Migraine & Headache

Non-Migraine Headache Increases the Risk for Tinnitus

Brandon May

December 10, 2019

Individuals with non-migraine headache have a higher risk for tinnitus, sensorineural hearing impairment, and sudden deafness than individuals without chronic headache.

News

Can Placebo Effects Be Socially Transmitted?

Brandon May

December 6, 2019

Researchers were able to induce doctors’ beliefs about the thermedol treatment and showed that those beliefs were transmitted to patients through subtle shifts in facial expressions and possible changes in attentiveness between treatments.

Migraine & Headache

Oral Celecoxib Solution Promising for Acute Episodic Migraine

Brandon May

December 5, 2019

An oral solution of celecoxib, a selective inhibitor of cyclo-oxygenase 2, is superior to placebo for the acute treatment of migraine pain.

Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide (PACAP), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), and nitric oxide (NO) activate alternative signaling pathways in blood vessels independent of any potential migraine-associated vasodilation. Vasoactive intestinal peptide/ pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide receptor-1 (VPAC1R) and VPAC2 receptors are expressed in various cell types, including endothelial cells, and these receptors demonstrate equal affinity for both VIP and PACAP.21,22 A model of ischemia revealed that VIP led to increased angiogenesis via increased expression and secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in endothelial cells, and because mediators of angiogenesis are believed to influence chronic inflammation, inflammatory pain may also be influenced by angiogenic signaling. Such findings “suggest that hypothalamic regulation of parasympathetic tone may activate vascular endothelial cell signaling pathways known to contribute to inflammatory pain” and that the hypothalamus may contribute to migraine “via endothelial cell-dependent signaling pathways independent of vasodilation,” though the mechanisms pertaining to specific migraine symptoms are not clear.3

Migraine & Headache

Neuropeptide Found to Trigger Attacks in Migraine Without Aura

Brandon May

December 3, 2019

The neuropeptide pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide was found to be a migraine trigger in migraines without aura, according to researchers in Denmark.

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