Physical Activity Worsened Migraine Pain for Some

For a minority of women who are overweight or obese, physical activity consistently contributed to the worsening of migraine pain, according to a recent study. Furthermore, more frequent physical activity-related pain worsening was related to greater severity of other migraine symptoms and pain sensitivity. Participants included 132 women, aged 18 to 50 years, with neurologist-confirmed migraine and overweight/obesity seeking weight loss treatment in the Women’s Health and Migraine trial. Researchers found:

• Subjects reported 5.5 ± 2.8 (mean ± standard deviation) migraine attacks over 28 days.
• The intraclass correlation indicated high consistency in participants’ reports of activity-related pain worsening or not.
• On average, activity worsened pain in 34.8 ± 35.6% of attacks, had no effect on pain in 61.8 ± 34.6% of attacks, and improved pain in 3.4 ± 12.7% of attacks.
• Few participants (9.8%) reported activity-related pain worsening in all attacks.
• A higher percentage of attacks where physical activity worsened pain demonstrated small-sized correlations with more severe nausea, photophobia, phonophobia, and allodynia.

Pain worsening with physical activity during migraine attacks in women with overweight/obesity: A prospective evaluation of frequency, consistency, and correlates. [Published online ahead of print December 13, 2017]. Cephalalgia. doi:10.1177/0333102417747231.

For a minority of women who are overweight or obese, physical activity consistently contributed to the worsening of migraine pain, according to a recent study. Furthermore, more frequent physical activity-related pain worsening was related to greater severity of other migraine symptoms and pain sensitivity. Participants included 132 women, aged 18 to 50 years, with neurologist-confirmed migraine and overweight/obesity seeking weight loss treatment in the Women’s Health and Migraine trial. Researchers found:

• Subjects reported 5.5 ± 2.8 (mean ± standard deviation) migraine attacks over 28 days.
• The intraclass correlation indicated high consistency in participants’ reports of activity-related pain worsening or not.
• On average, activity worsened pain in 34.8 ± 35.6% of attacks, had no effect on pain in 61.8 ± 34.6% of attacks, and improved pain in 3.4 ± 12.7% of attacks.
• Few participants (9.8%) reported activity-related pain worsening in all attacks.
• A higher percentage of attacks where physical activity worsened pain demonstrated small-sized correlations with more severe nausea, photophobia, phonophobia, and allodynia.

Pain worsening with physical activity during migraine attacks in women with overweight/obesity: A prospective evaluation of frequency, consistency, and correlates. [Published online ahead of print December 13, 2017]. Cephalalgia. doi:10.1177/0333102417747231.

For a minority of women who are overweight or obese, physical activity consistently contributed to the worsening of migraine pain, according to a recent study. Furthermore, more frequent physical activity-related pain worsening was related to greater severity of other migraine symptoms and pain sensitivity. Participants included 132 women, aged 18 to 50 years, with neurologist-confirmed migraine and overweight/obesity seeking weight loss treatment in the Women’s Health and Migraine trial. Researchers found:

• Subjects reported 5.5 ± 2.8 (mean ± standard deviation) migraine attacks over 28 days.
• The intraclass correlation indicated high consistency in participants’ reports of activity-related pain worsening or not.
• On average, activity worsened pain in 34.8 ± 35.6% of attacks, had no effect on pain in 61.8 ± 34.6% of attacks, and improved pain in 3.4 ± 12.7% of attacks.
• Few participants (9.8%) reported activity-related pain worsening in all attacks.
• A higher percentage of attacks where physical activity worsened pain demonstrated small-sized correlations with more severe nausea, photophobia, phonophobia, and allodynia.

Pain worsening with physical activity during migraine attacks in women with overweight/obesity: A prospective evaluation of frequency, consistency, and correlates. [Published online ahead of print December 13, 2017]. Cephalalgia. doi:10.1177/0333102417747231.