Headaches and psychiatric co-morbidities, part 2

In part 1 of this post, pain and psychiatric issues often travel together. Chronic headache pain can lead to long-lasting psychological distress, and depression and anxiety increase the perception of both acute and chronic pain. They are intimately connected. This post will continue the discussion about psychiatric co-morbidities and headache, focusing on psychopharmacology. What is … Continue reading Headaches and psychiatric co-morbidities, part 2

Headaches and psychiatric co-morbidities, part 1

It is quite common for patients with migraine and headaches to have a coexisting psychiatric co-morbidity, such as anxiety or depression. In fact, headache and psychological distress share the same risk factors, such as environmental stressors and genetic predisposition. Headache history may predispose a patient to psychopathology and psychopathology may predispose a patient to headache. … Continue reading Headaches and psychiatric co-morbidities, part 1

Back to school, bring on the stress; psychiatric comorbidities and headache

In my part of the country, there has been a gradual transition from remote learning to hybrid learning to full in-person learning, starting this spring. And as we all experience, there are significant stressors with all this change. Kids are happy to be back at school with their friends, teachers, feeling sort of ‘back to … Continue reading Back to school, bring on the stress; psychiatric comorbidities and headache

Anxiety!!!

Oh my goodness, along with the Covid 19 pandemic, there has been a significant uptick in anxiety, among my patients with headaches, especially the teens and young adults. This has been clear since about mid-October. Historically, there is the usual ramp up of anxiety, worry, lack of coping, that tends to happen around this time … Continue reading Anxiety!!!