What Is the Link Between MS and Migraine?

 Migraine headaches and multiple sclerosis (MS) are obviously two different neurological conditions requiring distinct and often complex treatment plans. In recent years, though, researchers have discovered a possible link between the two conditions.

And that link could help doctors understand these conditions better and improve medical treatment.

In fact, studies show people who have MS are far more likely to have migraines compared with people who don’t have MS. As many as 70% of people who have MS also suffer from migraine headaches, an indication that these two conditions share at least some similarities. 

At Advanced Medical Care in Queens and Brooklyn, our team of neurologists offers state-of-the-art, patient-centered care for those with neurologic diseases and disorders, including migraines and multiple sclerosis. 

Here, we explain more about these disorders and the potential links that connect migraines and MS.

Migraines and MS: Understanding the basics

Before delving into the research focusing on the possible links between MS and migraines, we want to provide some background so you have a basic understanding of each condition.

Multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease — a type of condition that causes your immune system to act out in abnormal and even dangerous ways. 

In MS specifically, your immune system attacks your central nervous system (your brain and spinal cord), targeting the protective sheath that surrounds and protects your nerves.

Damage to the sheath triggers inflammation, and together these effects cause abnormalities in the way your nerves communicate and transmit messages throughout your body. People who have MS can have symptoms affecting any part of their body, including:

• Vision problems
• Difficulty walking
• Significant fatigue
• Muscle weakness
• Muscle spasms
• Cognitive dysfunction
• Incontinence
• Pain
• Numbness or tingling

MS affects nearly a half million Americans, mostly women, and typically develops between the ages of 20-40, although it can affect both genders and all ages.

Migraines

Migraines are a type of headache associated with severe pain often accompanied by sensitivity to light and sound, nausea, and sometimes visual disturbances. Migraines typically cause a throbbing type of pain, usually occurring on one side of your head.

Migraine triggers include:

• Sounds
• Smells
• Changes in weather
• Dehydration
• Lack of sleep

While researchers don’t know for sure what causes them, they think migraines probably involve a range of factors that affect the nerve pathways that carry pain or other sensory signals to and from your brain.

The link between MS and migraines

Both migraines and MS affect your nervous system, which explains the genesis of their connection. MS affects your central nervous system, including your brain, while migraines interfere with nerve pathways in and around your brain.

Much research has focused on the relationship between MS lesions, areas of scarring or tissue damage caused by MS-related inflammation. 

Researchers think people with MS may experience more migraines when lesions disrupt normal nerve signaling in the brain and the nerves in the face and head, leading to migraine symptoms. 

Interestingly, migraines also cause lesions, and researchers are still learning how these two types of lesions compare.

Both migraines and MS share symptoms, as well. Both can cause cognitive issues, like brain fog, and both can affect your vision, although migraine symptoms resolve when the headache goes away. 

Migraines often worsen during an MS flare-up, and the anxiety and stress that can accompany an MS diagnosis may act to trigger migraines, as well.

Tailored therapy for optimal wellness

Although there appears to be a relationship between MS and migraines, there’s still a lot to be learned. For now, knowing that a relationship may exist helps us diagnose your underlying medical issues and provide custom care focused on your specific needs.

If you’ve been diagnosed with migraines or MS or if you have symptoms of either condition, ongoing management is crucial for your health and your quality of life. To learn how we can help, request an appointment online or over the phone with our team at Advanced Medical Care in Forest Hills, Queens, and Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, in New York City.