Chronic migraine (CCQ) affects 3% of French people, which is characterized by headache attacks. While its causes are still mysterious, a meta-study determines 5 predisposing factors to this pathology.
Headache attacks at least 15 days a month and for at least three months. This is what characterizes chronic migraine, a pathology that affects 3% of the French population. Difficult to treat and debilitating, the causes of this disease are still unknown. Researchers published a study in the journal Cephalalgia, which makes it easier to see. In a meta-analysis, they reviewed 5,695 publications on the subject. This allowed them to identify five predisposing factors for chronic migraine.
From depression to the economic factor
According to the results, people suffering from depression are 58% more likely to suffer from chronic migraine. The latter is also frequently associated with psychological disorders. The second factor may seem obvious: having migraines regularly. Indeed, suffering from five headaches per month multiplies by three the risk of becoming a chronic migraine sufferer. “This suggests that preventive therapies should be adopted to avoid this chronicization”, specifies the study.
Third factor: drug abuse. Consuming too many painkillers increases the risk of chronic migraine by 8.8. In addition, people with allodynia are more at risk. It is a particular sensitivity to pain, caused by a dysfunction of the central nervous system. The risk is there 40% higher. Finally, the last factor is financial and social. Earning more than €45,000 per year reduces the chances of suffering from chronic migraine by 35%. The researchers believe that better access to care and a better lifestyle can explain this difference.
A treatment that gives hope
In everyday life, other factors can promote migraines: anxiety, coffee, alcohol, stress, overweight, sleep disorders, temperature changes. Today, a new preventive treatment is proving its worth. baptized Aimovig, it works by monthly subcutaneous injections and prevents the onset of migraine attacks. This treatment has already obtained US and European marketing authorization in 2018. However, it is not yet available in France. Its price is still under discussion.
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