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IBS and Migraine

A link between functional gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome and migraine has been identified by many research studies. No one fully understands exactly why but people with migraine often report symptoms of IBS and vice versa. Both migraine and IBS have been associated with other functional conditions such as fibromyalgia.

What is IBS?

IBS is characterised by diarrhoea or constipation or a combination of both along with abdominal bloating and pain. Other symptoms include headaches, nausea, a feeling of incomplete evacuation after a bowel movement and excessive flatulence. It affects more women than men and can be triggered by factors such as food intolerances, hormonal influences and stress.

What is Migraine?

Migraine is characterised by intense headaches that can be felt as a throbbing or pulsating sensation in one area of the head. It is often accompanied by sensitivity to light and sound. A migraine attack can bring on nausea and vomiting. It is more common in women than in men and an attack is often triggered by lack of food, tiredness, anxiety, stress, exposure to light and hormones.

Why is there a link?

Back in 1978 Watson et al noticed that there was a link between IBS and migraine. He observed that people with IBS had a significantly higher incidence of migraine headaches than the control group and believed that a hormone may be acting systemically to cause the symptoms of IBS.

A study by Cole et al, which was published in “Gastroenterology”, reported that people with IBS were 60% more likely to suffer from migraine too. Cole from Boston University, analysed data on almost 100,000 individuals who had sought help from their GP due to IBS and a control group of a further 27,000 people who did not have IBS.

Another interesting study by Gasbarrini et al in 1998, found that in 225 people suffering from migraine who were given a breath test, helicobacter pylori was present in 40% and furthermore, out of those who were treated in order to remove the helicobacter pylori, 83% reported a reduction in the frequency of migraine attacks. Bacterial overgrowth in the gut has been implicated in some cases of IBS.

Other researchers who have identified a link between IBS and migraine include Jones and Lydeard and Bommelaer et al.

Conclusion

Although IBS and migraine can affect anyone, women seem to be more affected than men and one possible reason for this is hormonal influences. Stress is a trigger for both conditions and this may be due to the effect of serotonin, which is the main neurotransmitter in the gut and which plays a role in both IBS and migraine.

Although there does appear to be a link between migraine and IBS, not everyone who has IBS suffers from migraines and not everyone with migraine suffers from IBS. More research is therefore required to establish the exact nature of the relationship between the two, the results of which may pave the way for an effective treatment for both conditions.