Migraine is associated with other problems and disorders

Often migraineurs report having the following disorders and medical problems along with migraine:

Anxiety

Anxiety is defined as one’s response or reaction to some upcoming event. Everybody has some level of anxiety, because anxiety is what makes us be alert in exams or important situations. It is only when anxiety level gets high that the individual shows excessive fear and restlessness about regular situations, and he or she develops Anxiety disorder. Common symptoms of anxiety include fear, heart palpitations, fatigue, chest pain, shortness of breath, and headaches. More on migraine and anxiety.

Sleep Disorders

Sleep is important to our nervous system daily functioning. It reduces stress and revitalizes our nervous system. Migraineurs report that sleep problems and disorders are one of the most common migraine trigger. Too much sleep or too little sleep triggers migraine attacks for most migraineurs. Also interrupting sleep abruptly or interrupting it during the deep sleep phase causes migraine attacks. You may note that there is a special alarm clock that can be attached to the wrist for waking up outside the deep sleep phase. It is concluded in some research that waking up in the deep sleep phase triggers a migraine attack. Moreover, sleep problems are often associated with migraine as the pain and suffering of migraine may cause the migraineur to take naps during the day or feel unable to fall asleep at night. More on migraine and sleep disorders.

Overexcitation

Although it is uncommon among migraineurs, overexcitation is often associated with migraine. A study done by Columbus Children’s Hospital has suggested a link between pediatric migraines and behavioral disorders. Overexcitation might be linked to behavioral disorders such as attention deficit disorder (ADD or ADHD), conduct disorder (CD), and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). ADD or ADHD is thought to have a genetic component as it tends to occur among family members. There is a higher likelihood for such common accompanying disorders as anxiety, depression, learning disabilities, and conduct disorder. ADD is characterized by talkativeness, excitement, mania, tremor, insomnia, anxiety, restlessness, euphoria, acute rage reactions, and hyperactivity. Caffeine, MSG, and other Excitotoxin can lead to CNS stimulation, which aggravate ADD.

Low Self-Esteem

Migraines often cause migraineurs to lose their self-esteem or self-confidence. It is because during a migraine attack, among the other things that the sufferer faces, cognitive impairments as well as mental and physical weaknesses. This results in feelings of embarrassment, weakness, and worthlessness. When you have a strong and persistent migraine for a few years, you should notice a change in your habits (friend’s meetings, going to parties, etc). You may loose some friends because you are not as "good" as you once were before having the migraine, or simply because you cannot attend meetings and gatherings. More on migraine and self-esteem.

heartburn and Gastro-Intestinal Problems

Heartburn may always be a problem for migraineurs since migraine requires taking daily medications that causes stomach heartburns. Note that heartburns and stomach pain in general trigger migraine attacks, esp. when the migraineur feels tired. More on heartburns.

Depression? Does it affect me?

Depression is a mental disorder characterized by low mood, low self-esteem, and loss of pleasure and interest in most activities that are normally enjoyable to people. Depression affects migraineurs often because migraine limits the migraineur’s abilities, causing low self-esteem and later depression. For more on migraine and how to fight depression.