Study: Women With Endometriosis Face More Than Double the Risk of Migraine
A large analysis of 35 studies covering over 13 million women found that migraine is more than twice as likely in women with endometriosis. Doctors often miss the link because the conditions are treated by different specialists.
Women diagnosed with endometriosis are more than twice as likely to develop migraine as other women. This follows from a recent large analysis that combined 35 studies and data on more than 13 million women, as reported by the medical news site drugs.com. Endometriosis is a condition in which tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus, causing severe inflammation, pelvic pain and fertility problems.
A link that is easy to miss
According to the researchers, up to three in four women with endometriosis may also have migraine. Dr. Johannes Wubishet Woldeamanuel of the Mayo Clinic in the United States says that the co-occurrence of the two diseases is a kind of "blind spot" in medicine.
The reason is that migraine and endometriosis are treated by different specialists, while information is stored in separate medical records. As a result, headaches and pelvic pain are often seen as two unrelated problems, even though they may be part of a broader pattern of pain symptoms.
The data analysis confirmed the problem: in short-term medical records, the co-occurrence of the two conditions was not reflected in 90% of cases. Direct interviews with patients proved several times more effective at uncovering the link.
What researchers recommend
Recent research suggests that the answer lies in closer cooperation between doctors of different specialties and in recognizing that both diseases may share a common pain mechanism. This raises hopes for new treatment methods.
Dr. Megan Wasson of the same clinic, a co-author of the study, stresses that women who have both conditions, or who suspect they might, should not treat the situation as a simple coincidence.
