The Unexpected Link Between PTSD and Chronic Migraines

Living with chronic migraines can be incredibly debilitating, leading to disruptions in everything from work to socialization, and general functioning. Individuals may need to spend extended periods in a dark, silent space during their recovery, and may also experience feeling spaced out, or confused, during periods between migraines.

Often in these instances, doctors will look for a physical reason for the prevalence of migraines, which could include hormonal changes, problems with low blood sugar, or even certain environmental factors. Issues like eyestrain are also known to contribute to problems like migraines and headaches.

To address these issues, doctors may advise treatments like antiemetics to address nausea, and even options like hormone replacement therapy (HRT), but these aren’t always successful. Some scientists now believe that may be because migraines could also be rooted in emotional traumas like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

In this article, we’ll be exploring this unexpected link between PTSD and chronic migraines, and what it might mean for effective treatment moving forward.

PTSD and Chronic Migraine: Studying the Statistical Link

The exact link between PTSD and chronic migraine still isn’t known, but there’s an ever-emerging body of statistical evidence to suggest that a connection most definitely exists. Experts can say with some confidence that migraines are more prevalent among individuals living with PTSD than the general population (14-25% vs 1-12%).

Exact studies are difficult to come by, but one study has further highlighted that 54.5% of participants with PTSD also reported experiencing persistent headaches. More recently, a Japanese study suggested that migraines themselves were associated with an increased risk of PTSD, which affects as many as 7.7% of people who experience migraines.

Why Can PTSD Increase the Risks of Chronic Migraines?

It’s no secret that PTSD can have a notable and sometimes unexpected impact on the body. Scientists already know that individuals experiencing PTSD are at a higher risk of developing health problems like diabetes and heart disease.

Migraines are the latest addition to this list and, while links aren’t entirely understood, there are many theories about what connects these two conditions, including  –

• High-stress levels: High-stress levels play a role in the prevalence of both PTSD and chronic migraine. This is evident through the high cortisol levels of individuals experiencing both conditions. Experts also hypothesize that stress-related tension in the body as a result of PTSD may increase the risk of migraines.
• Injury-based head trauma: Individuals with PTSD as a result of physical trauma like an accident may also have received traumatic head injuries that increase the prevalence of migraines or severe headaches.
• Genetic links: Some experts believe that there may be some genetic links between PTSD and migraines. A study published in ‘Frontiers in Neuroscience’ especially highlighted the possibility that PTSD and migraines share common genes and pathways, which could explain the comorbidity of the two conditions.

What Does This Mean for Treatment?

Ongoing exploration into the links between PTSD and chronic migraines is leading many professionals to reassess the ways they treat either condition. Experts are increasingly leaning towards more comprehensive, effective treatment alternatives, which include –

• Lifestyle changes: Lifestyle changes continue to prove vital for addressing migraines and PTSD, and may include healthy eating regimes, more conducive sleep routines, and relaxing processes like yoga or meditation. Experts also advise that individuals experiencing these conditions should stay away from unhealthy triggers like cigarettes and alcohol.
• Singular medical treatments: Findings that reveal shared genetic risk factors between migraine and PTSD sufferers hold promise for the development of a singular medical treatment for both conditions. This could prove transformative for many patients in the future.
• An overall holistic approach: While it’s unknown whether PTSD or migraines are the leading cause of this comorbidity, the undeniable link between the two highlights a prevalent connection between mind and body, which experts should take into account during treatment. Holistic treatment approaches like subconscious imprinting technique (SIT) are becoming increasingly popular for their transformative results on both mind and body. SIT, in particular, focuses on understanding and uncovering an individual’s emotional data, which can then serve to relieve physical symptoms like migraines.

Conclusion

It may be tempting to look to physical causes for your chronic migraines, but if traditional medical treatments aren’t working, it might be worth exploring the possibility of PTSD as a contributing factor. As evidence continues to emerge, and treatments develop around these recognized comorbid conditions, you may find that this realization enables you to reduce the prevalence of migraines in a way that you’ve never been able to do using traditional medicine.