Even Mild Headaches Can Raise Suicide Risk
The connection between suicide and headache was stable in four types of headaches: migraine, tension -type headache, post -traumatic headache and autonomous cepharalgia (which includes cluster headache), says the leading author Holly Elser, MD, PhD, and a resident of neurology. In Penn Medicine in Philadelphia.
“In particular, we find that in patients with a diagnosis of headaches of the tense type, which is widespread and typizes with mild symptoms, experiences an increased risk of attempts and completed suicide compared to members of a general population without a diagnosis of headaches,” says Dr. Elser .
Certain types of headaches are the greatest risk
The Danish study of the population followed for more than 119,000 people with a diagnosis of headaches and compared them with a control group of more than 597,000 people without headache. Researchers have followed people for 15 years and used diagnostic codes to track suicide attempts and death registers to identify complete suicide.
Researchers adjusted the factors that can affect the result, including age, gender, level of education, income level and coexistent health status.
Of every 1000 people with a headache of 7.8, they tried suicide and 2.1 out of every 1000 completed suicides.
In the total population 0.33 percent (3.3 out of 1000) Suicide attempts and 0.15 percent (1.5 out of 1000) completed suicide.
The risk for people with a diagnosis of post -traumatic headaches was the highest, and 214 percent of the risk of suicide attempt to 214 percent compared to the population as a whole.
Researchers also found that people with a diagnosis of headaches in emergency situations had a significantly higher risk of suicide and completion attempts. This suggests that the severity and complexity of the headache disorder can be important risk factors of suicide, they wrote.
“This study was not limited only by migraine, and the association of suicide with a headache type of tension is an important addition to our understanding of the risk of suicides in patients with headaches and chronic pain,” says Timothy Collins, MD, head of headache and anesthetizing department of the neurological faculty in Faculty of Medical Faculty of Duke University in Darema, North Carolina. Dr. Collins was not part of the study.
Why can headaches increase the risk of suicide
Although the study did not study why headache can increase the risk of suicide, there are several theories about the link, Elser says:
- There may be a complex, bickening connection between headache and mental disorders. According to her, headaches can deteriorate in response to psychiatric symptoms, and a deterioration in a headache can lead to a feeling of hopelessness or demoralization.
- Previous studies consistently demonstrate the relationship between chronic pain and the risk of suicide. Previous studies have shown that the risk of death from suicide is doubled in people with chronic pain.
- There may be general basic causes of headaches and psychiatric symptoms, including an increase in inflammation and changes in the release of serotonin, neurotransmitter, which plays a role in mood, sleep and appetite.
“It is interesting that the use of opioids was higher in all the head group compared to the control group, despite the leading principles based on actual data that opioids are not a suitable treatment for headaches, and studies showing that chronic opioid therapy is associated with increased the risk of suicide. Says Collins.
Screening of people with a headache for depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts can help people in risk
“Screening and early recognition of symptoms of depression and suicidality can help detect patients with a headache who are increasing the risk of suicide. Patients with a diagnosis of headaches with accompanying psychiatric symptoms, in particular, can benefit from behavioral behavioral health specialists, ”says Elser.
Collins agrees that the most significant risk is the coexistence of depression, and that all with recently diagnosed headache disorders should be checked.
People with a headache should seek treatment
According to Collins, people with headaches – recently diagnosed or not – should look for care for a specialist and must undergo depression screening as part of a headache treatment.
“There are so many treatment methods that can be used to treat headaches. In most cases, improved headaches with a decrease in pain significantly improve a depressive mood, ”he says.