Chronic Pain Conditions Associated with Migraine

Fibromyalgia, IBS and other chronic pain conditions that often occur with migraine.

Chronic Pain Conditions Associated with Migraine
Condition Description Association with Migraine References
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) A functional gastrointestinal disorder characterized by abdominal pain and altered bowel habits. Higher prevalence in migraine patients (6% vs. 2.2%, OR 1.6 [95% CI 1.4-1.7]) Cole JA, Rothman KJ, Cabral HJ, Zhang Y, Farraye FA (2006). Migraine, fibromyalgia, and depression among people with IBS: a prevalence study. BMC Gastroenterology, 6, 26.
Gastroesophageal Reflux A condition where stomach acid frequently flows back into the esophagus, causing symptoms like heartburn. Increased prevalence (OR 1.8 [95% CI 1.6-2.0]), linear trend with headache frequency Aamodt AH, Stovner LJ, Langhammer A, Hagen K, Zwart JA (2008). Comorbidity of headache and gastrointestinal complaints. The head-HUNT study. Cephalalgia, 28, 144-151.
Chest/Cardiac Pain (Angina) Pain originating from the heart, often associated with conditions like ischemic heart disease. Association with myocardial infarction (OR 2.2 [95% CI 1.7-2.8]), but inconsistent across studies Bigal ME, Kurth T, Santanello N, Buse D, Golden W, Robbins M, Lipton RB (2010). Migraine and cardiovascular disease: a population-based study. Neurology, 74, 628-635.
Interstitial Cystitis A chronic condition causing bladder pressure, pain, or pelvic pain, also known as bladder pain syndrome. Higher prevalence of headache disorders (38.7% vs. 15.7%) Fan Y-H, Lin AT-L, Wu H-M, Hong C-J, Chen K-K (2014). Non-bladder conditions in female Taiwanese patients with interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome. International Journal of Urology, 21, 805-809.
Endometriosis A disorder where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus, causing pain. Higher migraine prevalence (38.3% vs. 15.1%) Ferrero S, Pretta S, Bertoldi S, Anserini P, Remorgida V, Del Sette M, Gandolfo C, Ragni N (2004). Increased frequency of migraine among women with endometriosis. Human Reproduction, 19, 2927-2932.
Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD) Conditions affecting the temporomandibular joint, leading to jaw pain and dysfunction. Higher frequency in migraine patients (OR 1.83 [95% CI 1.07-3.15]), linked to migraine chronification Ciancaglini R, Radaelli G (2001). The relationship between headache and symptoms of temporomandibular disorder in the general population. Journal of Dentistry, 29, 93-98.
Gonรงalves DAG, Camparis CM, Speciali JG, Castanharo SM, Ujikawa LT, Lipton RB, Bigal ME (2010). Headache and symptoms of temporomandibular disorder: an epidemiological study. Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain, 50, 231-241.
Fibromyalgia A chronic condition characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and tenderness. Migraine prevalence 30%-55.8%, symptoms worsen with migraine attacks KรผรงรผkลŸen S, Genรง E, Yฤฑlmaz H, Sallฤฑ A, Gezer IA, Karahan AY, SalbaลŸ E, Cingรถz HT, Nas ร–, UฤŸurlu H (2013). The prevalence of fibromyalgia and its relation with headache characteristics in episodic migraine. Clinical Rheumatology, 32, 983-990.
Marcus DA, Bhowmick A (2013). Fibromyalgia comorbidity in a community sample of adults with migraine. Clinical Rheumatology, 32, 1553-1556.
Vij B, Whipps K, Lake AE, Lynch SM, Zempsky WT (2015). Frequency of migraine headaches in patients with fibromyalgia. Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain, 55, 860-865.
Low Back Pain Pain in the lower back region, which can be chronic and debilitating. Associated with headache disorders (OR 1.6-8.0), stronger with chronic migraine (OR 15.2 vs. 2.7 episodic) Yoon M-S, Manack A, Schramm S, Fritsche G, Obermann M, Diener H-C, Moebus S, Katsarava Z (2013). Chronic migraine and chronic tension-type headache are associated with concomitant low back pain: results of the German headache consortium study. Pain, 154, 484-492.

Guided practice

Alternate nostril breathing

A 5-minute guided practice for migraine prevention, from Unraveling Migraine. Captions are built into the video.

  • Prevention, not a rescue. Keep your usual medicine for migraine attacks.
  • Daily practice is what counts. The study behind it used 3 short sessions a day for 3 months.
  • Skip it or stop if your nose is blocked or it starts to feel like a strain.
Read the full guide and the research