Chicago, IL – October 1, 2007 – A recent survey conducted by the National Headache Foundation (NHF) found that 90% of headache sufferers also suffer from symptoms of depression. Respondents noted that the most common symptoms included energy loss (67%), difficulty sleeping or oversleeping (66%), difficulty thinking or concentrating (60%), sad mood (56%) and loss of interest or pleasure in activities that were once enjoyed (56%).
Additional highlights of the online survey include:
- 85% of respondents felt they would be happier if they weren’t suffering from headaches
- 67% of respondents reported they felt more depressed when they were suffering from a headache
- 47% of respondents reported they first suffered from headache before suffering from depression
“The correlation between people with depression and people with migraine has been considerably studied and documented. Migraine has been linked with an increased risk for the first onset of major depression and major depression has been associated with an increased risk for the development of migraine” according to Suzanne Simons, Executive Director of the NHF. “Furthermore, the World Health Organization reported in 2004 that depression is three times more common in people with migraine or severe headaches than in healthy individuals.”
“Individuals who suffer from headache or the symptoms of depression should talk to their healthcare provider” states Dr. Seymour Diamond, Executive Chairman of the NHF. “Headache is a treatable condition as is depression and the sooner a patient is properly diagnosed, the sooner effective treatment can be started.”
An article in the Fall 2006 issue of NHF Headlines supports this premise. Written by Gary E. Ruoff, MD, of the Westside Family Medical Center, Kalamazoo, MI, the story reported that early intervention for depression is critical because “the identification and treatment of depression during its earliest stages may slow the progression of both migraine and depression into higher levels of severity, and may make both easier to treat.”
About Migraines
Nearly 30 million Americans suffer from migraine, which is most commonly experienced between the ages of 15 and 55. Seventy to eighty percent of sufferers have a family history of migraine. Less than half of all migraine sufferers have received a diagnosis of migraine from their healthcare provider. Migraine is often misdiagnosed as sinus or tension-type headache.
About The National Headache Foundation
The National Headache Foundation, founded in 1970, is a non-profit organization which exists to enhance the healthcare of headache sufferers. It is a source of help to sufferers’ families, physicians who treat headache sufferers, allied healthcare professionals and to the public. The NHF accomplishes its mission by providing educational and informational resources, supporting headache research and advocating for the understanding of headache as a legitimate neurobiological disease. For more information on headache causes and treatments, visit www.headaches.org or call 1-888-NHF-5552 (M-F. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT).
CONTACT:
Suzanne E. Simons
Executive Director
National Headache Foundation
(312) 274-2651
ssimons@headaches.org
Kellie Fagan
Vox Medica
(215) 238-8500, ext. 1142
kfagan@voxmedica.com
