Why Isn’t There a Cure for Headache Disorders?

Day 8 (2026)

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Key Questions

What prompted you to write a book about headache disorders?
What impact do you hope your book will have?
When did your cluster headaches begin?
How did you manage your attacks while working in a high-pressure newsroom?
Does the invisible nature of headache increase its toll on those who experience it?
Does the medical profession take headache disorders as seriously as they deserve?
What was your lowest point in your experience of living with cluster headaches?
What was the most surprising thing you learned while researching your book?
What gives you hope for those who experience headache disorders?

Interview Notes

Tom Zeller Jr.
Book: The Headache: The Science of a Most Confounding Affliction and a Search for Relief
Magazine: Undark
X: @TomZellerJr
Instagram: @TomZellerJr
Bluesky: @TomZellerJr.com
Facebook: @TomZellerJr
Will Erwin Headache Research Foundation

Treatments Mentioned

Capsaicin
CGRP monoclonal antibodies (mAbs)
Magnesium
Neuromodulation devices
Steroids
Sumatriptan
Verapamil

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Disclaimer: The Migraine World Summit aims to bring you a variety of perspectives and expertise, free from bias or judgment. Alternative theories presented in this video have not been medically reviewed. Views expressed in this interview do not necessarily represent the views of the Migraine World Summit. Please always consult your health care professional and do your own research before making changes to your treatment plan. Captions are auto-generated and may contain errors.

Expert

Tom Zeller Jr.

Author | Editor-In-Chief
The Headache | Undark

Tom Zeller Jr. is an American journalist, former New York Times reporter and columnist, and current editor-in-chief of the digital science magazine Undark.

He is the author of the 2025 book The Headache: The Science of a Most Confounding Affliction, and a Search for Relief as well as a co-editor and contributing author of the 2022 book, A Tactical Guide to Science Journalism, published by Oxford University Press.

He is co-editor and a contributing author of the 2022 book, A Tactical Guide to Science Journalism, published by Oxford University Press.

In 2013, Tom was awarded a Knight Science Journalism Fellowship at MIT, where he spent a year studying environmental decision-making, economics, and climate policy — topics he has covered in the United States and abroad for Al Jazeera America, as well as The Times, National Geographic, Bloomberg View, Forbes, and other publications.

He co-founded Undark in 2016. Under his leadership, the magazine’s work has been anthologized in the Best American Science & Nature Writing book series, and honored with numerous awards and accolades, including the Al Neuharth Innovation in Investigative Journalism Award and the prestigious George Polk Award for Environmental Reporting. Undark has also been named a finalist for a National Magazine Award, and earned top prizes from the Society of Environmental Journalists, the Association of Health Care Journalists, the National Association of Science Writers, and the Online News Association.