Сephalgia and hypothyroidism
DOI: 10.32364/2587-6821-2023-7-10-4
E.V. Parkhomenko1, E.V. Ekusheva2,3, S.I. Kulikova 1
1Altai State Medical University, Barnaul, Russian Federation
2Academy of Postgraduate Education of the Federal Scientific and Clinical Center of the Federal Medical Biological Agency of Russian Federation, Moscow, Russian Federation
3Belgorod State University, Belgorod, Russian Federation
Hypothyroidism is usually manifested by a wide range of symptoms from various body systems, including the nervous system. It was found that approximately 30% of patients with decreased thyroid function suffer from cephalgia, which is associated with a thyroid hormone deficiency. Both primary and secondary hypothyroidism can not only lead to secondary cephalgia but also aggravate pre-existing primary cephalgia, most commonly migraine. It is known that cephalgia is more common in women, especially if there is a history of migraine. In everyday clinical practice, cephalgia associated with hypothyroidism is rarely diagnosed as an independent form of secondary cephalgia. More commonly, primary cephalgia, such as migraine and tension headache, are regarded as concomitant diseases in patients with decreased thyroid function. To date, data on the association between hypothyroidism and migraine, as well as hypothyroidism and tension headache are contradictory and it is not always possible to determine which process is primary or secondary. The pathophysiological basis explaining the association between hypothyroidism and cephalgia/migraine has not yet been studied.
Keywords: hypothyroidism, cephalgia, migraine, tension headache, thyroid-stimulating hormone, hypothalamus, levothyroxine, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, Hashimoto's encephalopathy, preventive migraine treatment.
For citation: Parkhomenko E.V., Ekusheva E.V., Kulikova S.I. Сephalgia and hypothyroidism. Russian Medical Inquiry. 2023;7(10):630–634 (in Russ.). DOI: 10.32364/2587-6821-2023-7-10-4.
About the authors:
Ekaterina V. Parkhomenko — C. Sc. (Med.), Associate Professor of the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery with the course of Continuing Professional Education, Altai State Medical University; 40, Lenin Ave, Moscow, 656038, Russian Federation; ORCID iD 0000-0003-0489-9845.
Evgenia V. Ekusheva — Dr. Sc. (Med.), Professor, Head of the Department of Nervous Diseases and Neurological Rehabilitation, Academy of Postgraduate Education of the Federal Scientific and Clinical Center of the Federal Medical Biological Agency of Russian Federation; 91, Volokolamskoe road, 125371, Moscow, Russian Federation; Senior Researcher of the Laboratory "Problemy Stareniya" (Aging Problems), Belgorod State University; 85, Pobedy Str., Belgorod, 308015, Russian Federation; ORCID iD 0000-0002-3638-6094.
Svetlana I. Kulikova — Assistant Professor of the Department of Propaedeutics of Internal Diseases named after prof. Z.S. Barkagan, Altai State Medical University; 40, Lenin Ave, Moscow, 656038, Russian Federation; ORCID iD 0000-0002-3232-8540.
Contact information: Ekaterina V. Parkhomenko, e-mail: parekva@mail.ru.
Financial Disclosure: no authors have a financial or property interest in any material or method mentioned.
There is no conflict of interest.
Received 12.08.2023.
Revised 05.09.2023.
Accepted 28.08.2023.
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