For many years now depression and headaches have been two conditions known to heavily work in synergistic ways. Often, anxiety disorders including depression are accompanied by migraine headaches that vary in severity depending on the extent of the depression episode. Conversely, the reverse has also been proven to be true as many cases of depression were diagnosed beginning with the headache symptoms that the patients reported to their doctors.
This relationship hasn't always been understood in its full extent until a decade or so ago when correlation studies showed a remarkable link between depression and headaches. Medical statistics show that as many as 40% of patients with migraine also have depressive tendencies. Moreover, the relationship wasn't only limited to depression. Migraines were also seen to be harbingers of other disorders including general anxiety disorders, panic attacks, bipolar disorder, and even substance abuse disorder among others. In many of these cases, doctors were also able to conclusively show that migraine headaches preceded the onset of depression disorders.
The science behind depression and headaches continues to evolve as doctors learn more about the connection between the two. Today, the understanding of the interconnectedness of these conditions boils down to the way depression and headaches share common mechanisms in the brain. A variety of factors can lead to the development of one, and then leading to the other such as environmental factors, genetic triggers, or even both in tandem.
The great news is that this improved understanding of the mechanism behind depression and headaches has also paved the way for notable advances in treating these conditions. There are actually "overlap" medications which are meds that can target both depression and headaches in one dose. Antidepressants are particularly popular in this regard because most brands have a strong track-record for managing pain as a side effect of treating the depression.
There are also other non-medication treatment options which can prove helpful in controlling the symptoms of depression and headaches. Cognitive behavioral therapy is a method which works by improving a patient's ability to manage emotions and perception in order to minimize the triggers of depression. Psychotherapy is also fast gaining acceptance as an option for pain management as a way to tone down the depression. People who are not in pain are less likely to be depressed than those who are experiencing pain from headache or other sources.
In addition, treatment options like relaxation therapy, complementary therapy, and the use of support groups can also limit the severity of depression and headaches in patients. Relaxation therapy relies on the body's normal tendency to release "happy hormones" when it is in a peaceful and relaxed state. These happy hormones act on the brain chemistry to repair and reverse the mechanisms causing the depression or migraine headache. Complementary therapy also works in a similar manner as it aims to promote well-being and peace by using meditative programs like yoga, acupuncture, and massage to eliminate stress and reset the brain to a more peaceful countenance.
Depression and headaches are not easy conditions to manage, especially when both work in tandem. However, increased awareness in this field is beginning to reverse the trend and in the process address depression and headache symptoms. With continued studies in the field, the hope is that these conditions will ultimately be kept in-check so that depression and headaches no longer ruin the plague the lives of many individuals like it is doing now.
If you or a loved one has the problem of depression and headaches, you may want to browse through the many articles on our website for some helpful information.
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