It’s not the most appealing of topics. But irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a very real concern for some migraineurs.
IBS is a disorder of the gastrointestinal tract. Symptoms can alternate between diarrhea and constipation. Researchers have sought to identify a connection between IBS and three other disorders: fibromyalgia, depression and migraine. A study published in BMC Gastroenterology in 2006 found that people with IBS had a 40 percent to 80 percent higher risk of also having fibromyalgia, depression and/or migraine than people who did not have IBS.1
The connection to head pain has been confirmed in other studies, including a study published in Neurologia i neurochirurgia polska (Polish Journal of Neurology and Neurosurgery) in 2005, which stated that 23 percent to 53 percent of IBS patients have frequent headaches and 10 percent to 20 percent of the general population experience both migraine and IBS. The Polish study found that the co-morbidity is more common among women and young adults and stress can make it worse.2
According to the National Headache Foundation, the connection has to do with a “sensitive central nervous system and a sensitive pain modulation system in the brain.” That sensitivity makes one more likely to experience migraine pain and can also make one susceptible to IBS.
So what can you do if you have this co-morbidity? Medications that can impact serotonin levels (and thereby decrease stress) are most effective, according to the Polish journal. 2
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