Chief Medical Officer

Dr. Kumeren Govender

MD/PhD

Dr. Kumeren Govender is a South African medical doctor and has practised in a wide range of clinical settings and disciplines including in neurology and psychiatry. He is the sub-editor for the Oxford Textbook of Global Public Health (Neurology), 2020 edition. He is interested in clinical genetics, telehealth and personalised medicine.

Education

University of Oxford, England, UK
University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa

Certifications

Membership of the Royal Colleges of Physicians (I)
Dr. Kumeren Govender

About our medical review process

At Mable, we are committed to providing every individual with clear, credible, evidence-based health and wellness information. To be your most trusted source of information, our content is medically reviewed to verify the clinical accuracy of our content, images, products, and services. Medical review is provided by members of our team. Our team brings an extensive experience from across the spectrum of medical specialties, as well as their perspective from years of clinical practice, research, and patient advocacy.
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Articles by Dr. Kumeren Govender
Aura: Those Zig Zags and Flashes Before a Migraine
Living With Migraines

Aura: Those Zig Zags and Flashes Before a Migraine

Aura is a set of sensory disturbances — vision changes, flashes of light or bright spots — that affects about 25-30% of people who get migraines. Aura can occur for 20-to-60 minutes before the start of migraine pain. Let's take a look at what it is and what you can do if you experience it.
When Migraine is an Actual Pain in the Neck
Living With Migraines

When Migraine is an Actual Pain in the Neck

Your head pain can become extra-uncomfortable if your shoulders and the back of your neck are suddenly tense and achy as well. For some, neck pain is a precursor to their migraine headache; for others, it accompanies head pain or may even follow it.
Light Sensitivity and Migraine
Migraine Treatments

Light Sensitivity and Migraine

People who get migraines tend to have lower thresholds of light tolerance. Up to 80% of people with migraine experience light sensitivity during their migraine episodes. For 30-60%, certain kinds of light may even trigger their migraines. Are there any fixes for light sensitivity with migraine?
New Approaches to Treating Migraine
Migraine Treatments

New Approaches to Treating Migraine

Neuromodulation devices. Identifying new variants that increase migraine risk. Gut microbiota and pain tolerance. Thanks to scientists and researchers, promising new developments are bringing improvement to people with migraine pain. Let's look at some of the latest.
Do Migraines Change as We Age? 4 Questions Answered
Migraine Questions

Do Migraines Change as We Age? 4 Questions Answered

As with any other chronic condition, migraine episodes may start to look and feel different as your body adapts to aging. Here, we answer 4 frequently asked questions about how your migraines may evolve over time.
8 Tips for Good Sleep to Keep Migraine Away
Living With Migraines

8 Tips for Good Sleep to Keep Migraine Away

Poor quality of sleep (difficulty falling and staying asleep, waking up early, restlessness at bedtime) is prevalent in people with migraine. They also tend to report more frequent head pain than people who get a good night's sleep. Here are 8 tips to help avoid head pain connected with sleep.
Postdrome: The Hangover Effect after Migraine
Living With Migraines

Postdrome: The Hangover Effect after Migraine

When your migraine pain ends, there’s no question that the relief is real. But your migraine may actually not be over yet. For some people, the final phase of migraine, known as postdrome, has a hangover-like effect and can last from 24 to 48 hours after migraine pain ends.
Introducing Mable. Revolutionizing Migraine Care, through the Power of DNA.
Migraine Treatments

Introducing Mable. Revolutionizing Migraine Care, through the Power of DNA.

When my co-founders and I worked toward our PhDs at Oxford University, we saw great promise in exploring the link between genetics and migraines. The result? Patent-pending Mable, the first genomics-powered telehealth clinic focused specifically on individualized, DNA-guided care for migraine.
Can a Specific Diet Treat Migraine?
Migraine Questions

Can a Specific Diet Treat Migraine?

Migraine is recognized as a largely genetic disorder, but other factors might impact when and how frequently your migraines occur and how severe they may be. One of those factors could be what you eat. Is there an ultimate “migraine prevention diet,” one that will successfully relieve migraine?
What to Know About a Migraine Cocktail in the ER
Migraine Questions

What to Know About a Migraine Cocktail in the ER

Severe, complex migraines may call for Emergency Room attention, using a tailored combination of medications and treatments. You may have heard people dub this a "migraine cocktail." Here's what you should know about ER treatments...and why you shouldn't attempt your own "migraine cocktail" at home.
The Signs of Migraine (Some May Surprise You)
Migraine Questions

The Signs of Migraine (Some May Surprise You)

If you’re prone to migraines, symptoms can start as little as an hour or as much as two days before a migraine attack. Let's look at some early signals that a migraine might be imminent — and some types of migraine that may surprise you!
Cluster Headaches: Are They the Same as Migraines?
Migraine Questions

Cluster Headaches: Are They the Same as Migraines?

Cluster headaches and migraines are both considered primary headache disorders — in other words, not symptomatic of another medical condition. But they are, in fact, separate and different. Read about some similarities and differences, symptoms, and triggers.
Prodrome: 4 Clues that You’re About to Feel the Pain of Migraine
Living With Migraines

Prodrome: 4 Clues that You’re About to Feel the Pain of Migraine

Once an episode of migraine is underway, you’re most likely in for several hours of pain and discomfort. By staying alert to the prodromal stage and its warning signs, you may be able to lessen or avert migraine head pain before it takes hold. 
What is Status Migrainosus?
Migraine Questions

What is Status Migrainosus?

Status migrainosus is a subtype of migraine headache that presents with more severe and longer-lasting symptoms than regular migraine attacks. It may resist regular migraine medication and can even lead to a hospital visit. Here's information on symptoms, triggers, and the need for early treatment.
Why a Woman is More Likely than a Man to Have a Migraine
Migraine Questions

Why a Woman is More Likely than a Man to Have a Migraine

Migraine is a complicated condition, with many potential triggers and treatment methods. The situation can be even more complex for women, who tend to experience more frequent migraine episodes and more acute symptoms than men. One of the most prevalent factors causing migraine in women: hormones.
4 Tips for Caring for Kids When You Have a Migraine
Living With Migraines

4 Tips for Caring for Kids When You Have a Migraine

Caring for kids can be quite a challenge if you’re also managing a chronic condition like migraine. But that doesn’t have to stop you from being the best parent that you can be. These suggestions might help make day-to-day activities during migraine a little easier for you and your children. 
Bad Headache...or Migraine? Know the Difference
Migraine Questions

Bad Headache...or Migraine? Know the Difference

As many as 1 billion people worldwide have migraine, making it the third most common illness in the world. Yet many millions of people experience migraine head pain without knowing it. Let's review what makes migraine different from other forms of headache.
Waking Up with a Migraine
Living With Migraines

Waking Up with a Migraine

‍Migraine pain is no way to start the day. In a study on sleep patterns in people with migraine, 71% of respondents reported waking with migraine episodes. If you frequently awaken with migraine headaches, there are a number of ways to identify, prevent and manage them.
‍Is Migraine Giving You Nausea? Here’s Help
Living With Migraines

‍Is Migraine Giving You Nausea? Here’s Help

As if the pain of a migraine headache isn’t bad enough, it’s often accompanied by symptoms of nausea, a key element in migraine diagnosis. Up to 90% of people with migraine experience nausea; up to 70% even experience vomiting.
Headaches after COVID-19: What You Should Know
Living With Migraines

Headaches after COVID-19: What You Should Know

According to the American Migraine Foundation, most people with post-COVID syndrome will be rid of their post-COVID headache within 2 months; however, in more extreme cases, about 8% reported persistent headaches up to 6 months after testing negative.
Cream of Tartar: Does it Work for Migraines?
Migraine Treatments

Cream of Tartar: Does it Work for Migraines?

For well over a century, cream of tartar has been touted for its supposed medicinal properties. Yet it has never been proven effective for any health uses. Let's explore some facts about cream of tartar.
5 Tips for Speedy Migraine Relief
Living With Migraines

5 Tips for Speedy Migraine Relief

About 15% of Americans experience the intense, throbbing head pain of migraine, and severe head pain typically ranks 4th or 5th among reasons for emergency room visits. These tips may help you manage discomfort and inconvenience from your head pain.
Gifts for People with Migraine
Living With Migraines

Gifts for People with Migraine

Approximately one in four American households includes a person living with migraine. Many thoughtful and useful products are available that make great gift ideas to help bring migraine relief to a friend or a loved one.
Headache Behind the Eye: What Does it Mean?
Migraine Questions

Headache Behind the Eye: What Does it Mean?

A headache behind the eye can be caused by several things, including a primary headache (typically the main cause) or a secondary headache, which may signal a separate underlying issue. Proper diagnosis can help, and many treatment options are possible.
Caffeine Withdrawal Headache: Giving Up Coffee Might Make Your Head Hurt
Living With Migraines

Caffeine Withdrawal Headache: Giving Up Coffee Might Make Your Head Hurt

For regular users accustomed to 2 to 4 six-ounce cups of coffee or other caffeinated beverages each day, even a few-hour delay in consumption can trigger caffeine withdrawal headache or migraine and other uncomfortable side effects. Pace withdrawal from caffeine to minimize or relieve symptoms.
Why Does Personalized Migraine Treatment Matter?
Migraine Treatments

Why Does Personalized Migraine Treatment Matter?

If you suffer from Migraine, find out what treatment is best for you and why. If you suffer from migraine, you’re not alone. According to a January 2021 study published in the journal Headache, almost 16 percent of adults in the United States had migraine and severe headaches in 2018.
What is Migraine?
Living With Migraines

What is Migraine?

Migraine is a condition that affects many people but is often misunderstood. Far more than just a “bad headache,” migraine can be debilitating for those who live with it. It can be challenging for people who don’t experience migraines to understand what they are like.
What Is Nurtec®, the Migraine Medication Featuring Khloe Kardashian?
Living With Migraines

What Is Nurtec®, the Migraine Medication Featuring Khloe Kardashian?

Reality TV personality Khloe Kardashian is starring in ads for Nurtec® (rimegepant), a migraine medication for both prevention and treatment. Find out more about this drug and who it might help.
Migraine and Depression: What’s the Connection?
Living With Migraines

Migraine and Depression: What’s the Connection?

Living with migraine can increase your odds of depression, and having depression increases your risk for migraine. Find out more about the connection, and learn how these conditions can be treated.
How to Exercise When You Live With Migraine
Living With Migraines

How to Exercise When You Live With Migraine

Exercise is great for your overall health and may even help reduce the frequency of migraine, but physical activity can also be a migraine trigger for some people. Here's how to manage migraine so you can get the benefits of exercise.
Are Migraines Genetic? Are Migraines Hereditary?
Migraine Treatments

Are Migraines Genetic? Are Migraines Hereditary?

If you're experiencing migraines today, there's a big chance you have family members who share it as well. Once you find the DNA link, this means you might be able also to find the right medication and push your treatment into the effective zone.
How Mable Is Revolutionizing the Broken Migraine Treatment Model
Migraine Treatments

How Mable Is Revolutionizing the Broken Migraine Treatment Model

Suppose you suffer from debilitating, chronic headaches. In that case, you’re far from alone. According to the American Migraine Foundation (AMF), at least 39 million people in the United States live with migraine. That’s more than the number of Americans who have diabetes and asthma—combined.
New Migraine Treatment: Anti-CGRP Therapy and How It Works
Migraine Treatments

New Migraine Treatment: Anti-CGRP Therapy and How It Works

Anti-CGRP therapy can be a good option for people who haven’t had success with other migraine treatments.