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Headaches and Psychoactive Substance Use
Author(s) -
EIMallakh Rif S.,
Kranzler Henry R.,
Kamanitz Joyce R.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
headache: the journal of head and face pain
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.14
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1526-4610
pISSN - 0017-8748
DOI - 10.1111/j.1526-4610.1991.hed3109584.x
Subject(s) - headaches , migraine , exacerbation , medicine , psychiatry , pediatrics , psychology
SYNOPSIS A number of clinical reports have revealed an association between the use of alcohol and drugs and theonset or exacerbation of headaches. In order to investigate this association systematically and to examinethe temporal relationship between onset of headaches and psychoactive substance use, we analyzedresponses to e self‐report questionnaire from 267 consecutive admissions to a three‐week inpatientsubstance abuse treatment program. The response rate was 89.7%. The following characteristics werenoted in the 236 respondents: 1) Over 89% reported having experienced some type of headache. 2)Headache‐free individuals were significantly older than headache sufferers. 3) Women were much morelikely to have migraine headaches than men. 4) Onset of migraines occurred prior to onset of substanceuse, while onset of tension headaches occurred after onset of substance use. Although associational datamust be interpreted with caution, an intriguing hypothesis compatible with the finding is that migrainesmay play a role in the genesis of substance use, while substance use may play a role in the genesis oftension headaches.