Investigating the Association Between Childhood Physical Abuse and Migraine

Abstract

This study found a stable association between childhood physical abuse and migraine that persisted when 6 clusters of potentially confounding factors were adjusted for. Future research should investigate possible mechanisms which explain the abuse-migraine association.

Screening for bipolar disorder among migraineurs: the impact of migraine–bipolar disorder comorbidity on disease characteristics

“…In addition, albeit not significant a past history of physical abuse in childhood was associated with 2.91 times increased likelihood of having BD in migraineurs. While a twofold rise in migraine prevalence is suggested in patients with a history of childhood abuse than in those without,49 physical abuse has also been considered a predictive risk factor for mania 50. Hence, our findings are in agreement with data indicating a significant association of child adversity score with the total number of medical comorbidities in BD patients, including migraine headaches 51…”

Recalled maltreatment, migraine, and tension-type headache

“…12 Other pioneering studies support the association but are limited by the nature of their samples (e.g., subspecialty headache centers), incomplete characterization of headache subtypes, or limited assessment of ACEs. [6][7][8][13][14][15][16][17] Our objective was to test the hypothesis that ACEs are more strongly associated with migraine than episodic tension-type headache (ETTH). We evaluated rates of childhood emotional maltreatment (abuse and neglect) and sexual abuse in a large, US population-based sample of persons with migraine and tensiontype headache using a case-control design.…”

“…Within general populations, a study of migraine and 3 studies of pain noted the independent influence of childhood maltreatment, although there was some evidence for depression-related mediation as well. 17,[29][30][31] Within headache clinic samples, one study found that the relationship of chronic migraine and abuse was dependent on depression, 13 whereas in a second larger study, it was not. 14 The attenuation of the influence of maltreatment on migraine by depression and anxiety could be attributed to mediation, confounding, or to a common brain substrate.…”

Childhood Maltreatment in the Migraine Patient

“…Prospective studies have demonstrated an association between abuse and pain, but only in those who self-reported abuse [16,17] or who experienced abuse-associated PTSD [18,19]. Retrospective cross-sectional analyses of adults self-reporting childhood sexual and/or physical abuse have shown up to a twofold greater likelihood of headache or migraine [20][21][22][23][24][25]. Emotionally abusive behaviors, such as witnessing domestic violence and bullying, have also been associated with migraine during adulthood (Canadian Community Health Survey-Mental Health [CCHS-MH]) and adolescence (the HUNT study) [26•, 27].…”