Association of increased pain intensity, daytime sleepiness, poor sleep quality, and quality of life with mobile phone overuse in patients with migraine: A multicenter, cross‐sectional comparative study

Abstract

Background : The number of regular smartphone users has increased dramatically worldwide. Headaches, followed by sleep difficulties, forgetfulness, dizziness, and other ailments, are among the most prevalent complaints among smartphone users during or after use. In addition, migraine is a debilitating disease and is the world's second leading cause of disability. Hence, we performed this study to determine how smartphone overuse influenced migraine patients' level of disability, pain intensity, sleep quality, and overall quality of life. Methods : In this observational study, the patients were divided into two groups high mobile phone use group (HMPUG) and the low mobile phone user group (LMPUG) using the Mobile Phone Problematic Use Scale. We assessed, for each group, patients’ level of disability, pain intensity, sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, and quality of life through the Migraine Disability Assessment Scale, Visual Analogue Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and 24‐h Migraine Quality of Life Questionnaire, respectively. Results : Our study showed that the respondents' average age was 27.59 (9.79) years. The average number of family members was 5.98 (2.3251). A total of 65.8% ( n = 263) of the 400 participants were female, while 34.3 % ( n = 137) were male. Greater pain intensity, poor sleep quality, and reduced medication effectivity were found in HMPUG compared to LMPUG ( p < .05). However, increased duration of migraine and medication intake was reported in the LMPUG ( p < .05). Conclusion : We observed that smartphone overuse could worsen pain, sleep, and reduce treatment efficacy in individuals with migraine. Therefore, controlled smartphone use is recommended to avoid worsening symptoms.

Association Between Smartphone Usage and Primary Headaches in Taif, Saudi Arabia: A Hospital-Based Study

“…Surprisingly, participants with severe headaches tended to be low smartphone users, potentially indicating reduced smartphone usage among individuals dealing with more severe headache symptoms. A study from Pakistan reported an increase in pain intensity among high smartphone users with migraine headaches [11]. However, this difference may stem from our focus on different types of primary headaches.…”

“…Numerous previous studies have explored the correlation between smartphone use and headaches, examining the severity and types of headaches and the utilization of medications. In an observational study conducted in Pakistan between 2021 and 2022 among patients with migraines categorized as high and low smartphone users, the results indicated that excessive smartphone use could exacerbate pain intensity and diminish the effectiveness of treatments for patients with migraines [11].…”

The Association between Smartphone Addiction and Headache among Adults

“…It is also the second leading cause of disability worldwide caused by smartphone addiction. Examining the negative consequences of this technical breakthrough on its users is imperative 9 . Several issues have been attributed to the increasing internet usage, such as exposure to offensive images and content, invasions of privacy, and, in rare cases, addiction to the internet.…”