Child abuse ups adult headache risk

Children who experience maltreatment, such as emotional, physical or sexual abuse, are more likely to suffer frequent headaches, including chronic migraine, later in life, the results of a new study indicate.

US researchers analysed the adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) of over 17,000 men and women and found that the more ACEs a person experienced, the more likely they were to suffer frequent headaches as adults.

"We looked at eight ACEs - emotional, physical, or sexual abuse, witnessing domestic violence, growing up with mental illness in the home, having household members who were incarcerated or were abusing drugs, and experiencing parental separation or divorce," explained lead researcher, Dr Gretchen Tietjen of the University of Toledo College Of Medicine.

The study found that each ACE increased the chance of frequent headaches, and as the number of ACEs increased, so did the risk of frequent headaches.

"This dose-response relationship suggests that ACEs may contribute to the development and frequency of severe headaches later in life," Dr Tietjen said.

Details of these findings were presented at the American Headache Society's (AHS) 52nd annual scientific meeting in Los Angeles.

[Posted: Fri 25/06/2010]