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Migraine linked to domestic violence
Researchers at University of Washington have just released a study confirming that women with experiences of lifetime physical or sexual violence have increased probability of migraine. The study was published in Headache, the official journal of the American Headache Society. The main aim of the study was to evaluate the relationship between intimate partner violence (physical, psychological or sexual violence) and migraine in a large group of women.
Dr Elliot Shevel, the chairman of the International Headache Society's South African branch, gives an explanation, "2066 women who had delivered infants were interviewed during their postpartum hospital stay. The women were interviewed in private using a structured questionnaire that collected information on socio-demographic factors, lifetime experience with intimate partner violence, characteristics of headache and depressive symptoms. Overall, the prevalence of intimate partner violence with migraineurs was 47.4% in comparison to only 36.2% of non-migraineurs."
"For women with migraine, screening for past and current intimate partner violence (particularly sexual violence) during medical consultation is of great value. Furthermore, women need to be offered appropriate interventions that can help mitigate the occurrence and consequences of violence. If the violence has ended, then screening for past intimate partner violence is still important to investigate its possible etiologic role in migraine and for the integral treatment of neurologic and psychiatric disorders," says Dr Shevel.
For more information, contact The Headache Clinic on +27 (0)861 678 911.
