There are many factors which may contribute to the transformation of episodic migraine ( which is defined as fewer than 15 headache days per month ) to chronic migraine ( 15 or more headache days per month , for more than 3 months ). One factor that has recently been studied is a history of sexual abuse .
Although not every migraine patient has been the victim of any form of abuse , recent research suggests that if a patient has a history of sexual abuse , this may increase the likelihood that the episodic migraine could transform to chronic migraine . In this study , chronic migraine patients were 3.5 times more likely than episodic migraine patients to report a history of sexual abuse .
Sexual abuse has been associated with the development of a variety of psychological and physical conditions . Migraine patients often report a history of physical , emotional , or sexual abuse . Psychosocial factors – including traumatic stress such as physical , emotional , and sexual abuse – have been shown to be associated with higher rates of headache and higher than expected rates of migraine .
Often , patients with migraine also suffer from anxiety and / or depression . A history of sexual abuse is a known risk factor for these mental health conditions . Many researchers have correlated a history of sexual abuse and chronic pain syndromes , which have often included migraine . Little research is available in this population that limits the focus to migraine , however . Research in migraine patients has generally combined all forms of abuse , without limiting the focus solely to victims of sexual abuse .
Because chronic pain often accompanies anxiety and depression , a biological link has been proposed . Stress hormones are thought to be dysregulated to some degree in patients with anxiety and depression , and this could be a factor in the increased incidence of chronic pain conditions in such individuals .
The purpose of this research , which was presented at the International Headache Society Congress in Valencia , Spain in 2015 , was to assess the association of a self-reported history of sexual abuse in migraine patients – both chronic migraine and episodic migraine . Furthermore , the goal was to determine if a greater association of a history of sexual
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