Headache, Migraine and Depression

It is of no surprise to me that a recent survey showed that headache sufferers were almost 3 times as likely to be depressed than non headache sufferers but who had other issues in their lives.

Let’s consider the lot of a headache sufferer:

little is known about what causes headache or migraine

headache sufferers either experience constant or near constant pain or severe pain

the only management appears to be medication which at best relieves the pain, but doesn’t change the cause (because the cause is unknown)

the doctor is despairing (because he or she doesn’t know what to do next)

Arguably the aforementioned points are more significant than some other issues(?) ….. not much hope is there?

Actually there is … it is amazing that, when after examination of the upper neck reveals the source of headache or migraine symptoms, ‘depression’ lifts – just knowing where the headache comes from leads to significant improvement in one’s outlook.

Cheers

Dean

(Marlow RA, Kegowicz CL, Starkey KN. Prevalence of depression symptoms in outpatients with a complaint of headache. J Am Board Fam Med 2009 Nov-Dec(6):602-3)

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