Psychological factors Associated Chronic Migraine Headaches

Psychological factors Associated Chronic Migraine Headaches are experiencing by millions of people around the country. These moderately to severe headaches plague them on at least 15 days per month, and continue for at least 6 months. Many people find them so unbearable wherein they become incapable to do their normal routine. While there is no cure for chronic migraines, there is ongoing research aimed at helping us to understand it more.

Research shared in the January 2017 issues of the journal Headache found that psychiatric symptoms and chronic migraine pain were associated with severe migraine-related disability (1). Their study included assessing 90 adult patients at a clinic. The mean age of the patients who took part was 45, and nearly 85% were women. Of those participating in the study, 36% met the qualifications of having chronic migraine headaches. And 51% participants experiencing severe migraine-related disability.

The participants met the qualifications of having chronic migraine headaches, severe migraine disability and changeable psychological factors, in which, included depressive and anxiety symptoms. They found that the higher depressive symptoms associated with chronic migraine, hence, the higher depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and pain disaster had all associated with severe migraine-related disability.

American Migraine Foundation considered migraine related disability as one of the top 20 most disabling medical illnesses in the world. So, they were more likely having depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, fatigue, and have more loss of work (2).

Considering chronic migraine headaches so disabling, therefore, it is important to pay attention to the modifiable psychological factors associated chronic migraine headaches-migraine related disability.

By identifying the modifiable psychological factors, those who suffer from migraine-related disability may be able to find some relief. Also, need to learn about the importance of identifying things they can change, and taking healthy steps to change them. These includes finding healthy ways to deal with stress, anxiety, views regarding pain and disability. Furthermore, having chronic pain coping skills can help through the pain and find to get rid of migraine-related disability.

Those suffering from chronic migraine headaches and experiencing migraine-related disability, the more tools and options have at their disposal, the more they find something that bring some relief.

Sources:

1. Headache. Psychological Factors Associated With Chronic Migraine and Severe Migraine-Related Disability.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28139000