Headache and Thyroid

For the many people who deal with stubborn headaches along with a thyroid disorder, the question as to what could be causing these simultaneous conditions has been a mystery for some time now. And for these people, their coexistent health issues could cause the stress associated with them to intensify.

Until recently, migraine headaches were not believed to be directly associated with thyroid conditions but recent studies have shown that there may be a direct link between a migraine headache and thyroid conditions. Scientists have broken ground by discerning a distinct connection between hypothyroidism, the condition in which the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone, and persistent headaches, even chronic migraines. Researchers have concluded that simultaneous conditions can affect each other in multiple ways.

Scientists Probe Link Between Headache and Thyroid Conditions

At the University of Manitoba, in Winnipeg, Canada, researchers Jitender Sareen, M.D., and several colleagues studied the link between anxiety disorders and physical conditions by documenting over four thousand adults who participated in the German Health Survey, which was conducted from 1997 to 1999. The study evaluated whether or not these participants had any possible physical illnesses by submitting a questionnaire, which focused on over forty specific conditions.

Among the people in the study, nearly nine percent had an existing anxiety disorder within the past month while nearly sixty percent had a physical condition within the past month. It was surmised that having an anxiety disorder was due to some type of physical condition, such as respiratory diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, arthritis, allergies, thyroid diseases and migraine headaches.

It was shown that simultaneous issues may play a role in consistent and regular headaches that occur daily. In some cases, the solution of the migraine condition was to treat even borderline hypothyroidism, and the results showed dramatic relief in migraine pain. Associate professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Dr. Egilius Spierings, stated that a benefit of the treatment plan with regard to the migraine headaches could lie in the correction of hypothyroidism.

Dr. Marcelo Bigal, assistant professor of neurology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, and his colleagues concluded that sub clinical hypothyroidism could well be linked to the development of new daily persistent headaches. And hypothyroidism may be relative to stubborn headaches with treatment in patients with primary headaches, such as migraine headaches beneficial.

The answer as to why headaches and migraines and some other circumstances occur collectively is not altogether apparent, however, the connections are visible. By recognizing other conditions which may be provoking patients, it can be better understood the best method of which to alleviate headaches and succeed in migraine management.

Which Thyroid Conditions Might Cause Headaches?

Thyroid diseases, such as hypothyroidism, are among the circumstances now known to often coexist with headaches and migraines. A sound association has been found between hypothyroidism and daily, persistent headaches such as chronic migraines.

Researchers have concluded that coexistent conditions can affect each other in multiple ways including how they progress and the time of which it takes to diagnose them and find effective treatment plans. In addition, it's been shown that simultaneous conditions may play a role in headaches becoming and remaining daily or near daily. In some cases the response of migraine to treatment of even borderline hypothyroidism has been dramatic.

Anxiety, Headache and Thyroid

Anxiety disorders indicate to be independently linked with many physical disorders such as thyroid disease, respiratory disease, arthritis and migraine headaches, according to a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, JAMA Archives. This co-occurrence of disorders may significantly raise the risk of incapacity and negatively bear upon quality of life.

Headache and Thyroid Recommendations

This temperament of headache habitually shows up at the beginning one's day. And as the thyroid "wakes up", the painful headache generally subsides.

For those that experience headache and thyroid disorder simultaneously, some researchers recommend exercise, but of course, the ultimate decision should be made only after a thorough examination is performed by your health care provider.

Studies show support which links those with excessive phobic fearful anxiety to sudden cardiac death, and unfortunately, rates of anxiety disorders are greater than expected in patients with thyroid disease, cancer, hypertension and many other serious physical conditions. For these reasons, it is imperative that no one start an exercise program without first consulting with a physician to see if there is any correlation between the patient's headache and thyroid gland.