Headache in multiple sclerosis

Abstract

Aim: Although multiple sclerosis (MS) can cause almost any neurological symptom, headaches are considered unusual. Studies investigating the relationship between the 2 conditions have produced conflicting results. The primary aim of this study was to test whether there was a difference between patients with MS (Group 1) and the control group (Group 2, patients with psoriasis and myasthenia gravis, diseases not affecting the central nervous system) in terms of the prevalence and types of primary headache. Materials and methods: A total of 139 patients with MS and 59 patients in the control group were included. The patients underwent a complete neurological examination and functional systems were assessed according to the functional system scores of Kurtzke. A semistructured interview guided by a questionnaire about headache was applied. Results: We found the life-long prevalence of primary headaches as 74.8% in patients with MS and as 71.2% in the control group. The prevalence of migraine and tension-type headaches did not show a significant difference between the 2 groups before the disease (P = 0.43), after the onset of disease (P = 0.18), or during the attack (P = 0.097). Conclusion: MS does not increase the prevalence of headaches, and headache types do not show any difference between MS patients and the control group.