Migraine and MS
Multiple Sclerosis ( MS) is a disabling autoimmune neurological condition which may occur as relapse and recovery attacks or a chronic progressive illness. It is a condition affecting the white matter of the central nervous system, which usually involves the optic nerves, the brain, and/or the spinal cord. Common symptoms are attacks of visual loss with painful eye movement affecting one eye, numbness and tingling or weakness and stiffness affecting one limb, like an arm, or an arm and a leg on one side of the body. MS, like migraine, occurs more frequently in women.
Migraine is a neurological problem with headache, usually on one side of the head associated with nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound. Migraines may last 4 to 72 hours and are frequent at times of stress, menstruation, or poor sleeping.
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This is an article by Britt Talley Daniel MD, retired member of the American Academy of Neurology, Migraine textbook author, Podcaster, YouTube video producer, and Blogger.
A recent meta-analysis entitled, Health Status of Immigrants With MS Complex Canadian Study Finds Determining the prevalence of migraine in MS, by Somi Igbene published in Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders. This was a review of 35 studies published between 1969-2023, involving 27,678 people with MS. The author revealed that “about 1 in 4 MS patients experience migraines.”
Frequency of MS with Migraine
The study found that persons with MS are “about two times more likely to have migraines than healthy people.” The average risk of developing MS in the United States is roughly 3.5 in 1,000, or less than half of one percent. For first-degree relatives (such as a child or sibling), the risk increases to three or four percent.
Most patients who had the MS-Migraine link were women. The frequency of migraine alone in the US for women is 26% while in men it is 6%.
Explanation of the MS-Migraine link.
The author reported that the mechanisms behind the higher risk in MS, “continue to elude us, and further investigation is warranted to unravel this complex relationship.”
Migraine is known to have a complicated genetic link, best noted in families and in women. MS also has a low genetic link.
Age range of affected persons
The mean age range was between ages 30 to 55.7.
Severity of affected patients
Most patients had minimal to moderate disability levels with Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores ranging between 2-3 points. The EDSS scale ranges from 0 to 10 for patients with MS with higher numbers representing higher levels of disability.
Type of migraine with MS
18% of patients had migraine without aura. 7% had migraine with aura.
Factors that increased the likelihood of migraine with MS
Influential factors were:
Age of 45 or older
Having MS for less than 10 years
Living in Europe
Comment: Both migraine and MS are significant neurologic illnesses that sometimes occur together in the same person.
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