Weight-loss surgery may provide migraine relief

Tuesday, 05 April 2011 15:22

A new study reports that weight-loss surgery can help reduce the risk of debilitating migraines. Researchers examined a small group of obese patients with a history of migraines, who underwent either Lap-Band or gastric bypass surgery.

After six months, the patients had lost an average of 66 pounds. About half the patients reduced the frequency of their migraines by half or more.

Migraines affect about 28 million Americans, mostly women. The condition is characterized by throbbing pain, usually on one side of the head, and can last anywhere from four hours to three days.  They are often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light.

Although the cause of migraines is not fully understood, they are thought to be triggered by abnormal brain activity due to stress, certain foods, and other factors. There is no known cure for migraines, but medications can help control them.

The study, published in the March 29 issue of the journal Neurology, observed 24 weight-loss surgery patients with an average body mass index of 46.6. More than half underwent Lap-Band surgery, the rest received gastric bypass. Most of the study participants were women.

The patients experienced an average of 11 migraines during the three-month period prior to surgery.  After six months, the average number of migraines dropped to less than seven.
The researchers reported that the more weight patients lost, the more they reduced their risk of migraines.  In addition to reduced migraine frequency, the patients also experienced less severe symptoms. Before surgery, half of the patients said their migraines were either moderately disabling or severe enough to require medical attention. At the six-month post-surgery mark, only 12.5 percent of the patients reported moderately or severely disabling migraines.

Dr. Frederick J. de la Vega, a neurologist at the Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla in San Diego, said that the study raises some still-unanswered questions. Other changes resulting from the surgery - such as blood pressure changes and changes in mood and self-esteem - could possibly influence migraine frequency and severity. "And whether the lost weight has a secondary effect on the hormone levels of women, and how all of that might impact on migraines," said Dr. de la Vega. "All of these factors would have to be looked at."