Obesity Possibly Associated With Episodic Migraine

An increase in weight may be associated with a type of migraine called episodic migraine, say researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. Migraine is a severe type of headache that is throbbing in nature and affects one half of the head. It is associated with nausea, vomiting and transient visual disturbances. Some people suffer from migraine for 15 or more days in a month. These patients are said to be suffering from chronic migraine. On the other hand, some patients suffer from attacks for 14 or less days. These patients suffer from a form of migraine called episodic migraine.

Earlier studies have suggested that a link exists between chronic migraine and obesity, that is, obese patients are more likely to suffer from migraine attacks. A recent study now suggests that an increase in weight may also be associated with episodic migraine. This statement is based on the results of data obtained from 3,862 people. Around 188 people in the survey suffered from episodic migraine.

The study found that a higher body mass index increased the chances of a person suffering from episodic migraine. The association between obesity and episodic migraine was more obvious in women and individuals below the age of 50 years.

Further studies are necessary to prove the results of this study and that episodic migraine is indeed a cause of an increase in weight. The study could, however encourage people to adopt healthy lifestyle and reduce weight, which definitely will have other health benefits.

Causes of Migraine

Migraine is an intensively studied topic with a number of new medications appearing in the market in the recent years to treat the condition. Though many theories have been postulated about migraine including changes in the levels of certain chemicals in the brain, the exact cause remains a subject of debate. However, there are certain factors associated with a migraine attack. These include fluctuations in hormone levels in women, certain foods, stress and changes in the environment.

Source-Medindia