While no scientific study can yet prove the side effects caused by wearing a mask, several people with migraines have testified to having suffered from headaches after wearing a mask for a long time. This is the observation made by Sabine Debremaeker, president of the association La Voix des migraineux.
The mask could trigger headaches
According to Sabine Debremaeker, president of the association La Voix des migraineux: “ prolonged wearing of a mask can trigger a migraine, even in a confined room with stale air “. Having received several testimonials from migraine patients who claim to have more headaches when wearing the mask for a long time, Sabine Debremaeker explains it for several reasons.
On the one hand, headaches can be caused by a lack of oxygen. According to her, ” migraine sufferers need to breathe well, and the air that is as clean as possible. For example, being in a room without ventilation with confined air is a trigger. Moreover, being able to breathe clean air can sometimes stop a crisis, leaving the room may be enough. “. Other factors triggering headaches related to the mask: heat (you breathe hot air) and odors (such as laundry in the case of washable masks).
Still few studies to prove the side effects of the mask
If the president of the association has already received many testimonies about headaches caused by wearing a mask, there is, for the time being, no study that demonstrates the adverse effects of wearing a mask. As the newspaper Alexandre Bellier, vice-president of Bibliovid, an association for scientific monitoring of Covid-19, explains: “ The level of evidence remains quite low and there is a lack of large, well-conducted studies to be able to have a better idea of the frequency of these side effects. “.
To date, only one scientific article published last June at the ClinMed International Library refers to it. The article presents the results of a study conducted in the United States on caregivers mobilized during the coronavirus crisis. Of 343 caregivers, 245 had reported suffering from headaches after wearing surgical masks of the FFP2 or N95 type (the American equivalent) for an extended period. Headaches were the most reported side effect.
According to WHO figures, migraine is one of the top three diseases considered disabling. It would affect nearly 20% of the adult population in France according to the French Federation of Neurology. However, migraine is still little recognized.
