The Rising Cases of Migraine due to COVID-19

Along with stress, migraine attacks can be caused by changes in diet and sleeping patterns, both of which have been affected by stay-at-home regulations and social distancing. 61 percent of migraine sufferers surveyed by Migraine Buddy after reviewing the user data said their migraines had become more frequent since the pandemic.

Fremont, CA: A recent research study by Healint, the leading provider of healthcare technology and developer of the Migraine Buddy tracking app, revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in migraine frequency and stress-related migraine attacks in states with a high number of coronavirus cases. The company analyzed data from over 300,000 Migraine Buddy users and a sample of nearly 2.5 million migraine attacks from December 20, 2019, to July 31, 2020. The analysis suggests that the proportion of stress-related migraine attacks was often 30 to 50 percent higher than stress-related attacks during the 2019 holiday season's peak just three months prior.

"It is clear that the stress and anxiety associated with COVID-19 is having a direct impact on the migraine community," said Healint CEO and co-founder Francois Cadiou. "As the United States faces the possibility of a potential second wave, the added responsibility of children at home, challenges to work life balance and a change in routine, migraine sufferers will need to be mindful of how to manage stress to prevent further attacks and lost productivity." Almost 40 million Americans, including 28 million women, suffer from disabling migraine attacks. Migraines not only impact the health and wellbeing of sufferers but also lead to economic consequences. Estimates suggest that migraine sufferers lose an average of four workdays per year in worker productivity, resulting in an economic cost of more than USD 13 billion.

Along with stress, migraine attacks can be caused by changes in diet and sleeping patterns, both of which have been affected by stay-at-home regulations and social distancing. 61 percent of migraine sufferers surveyed by Migraine Buddy after reviewing the user data said their migraines had become more frequent since the pandemic. In comparison, 44 percent said their attacks had worsened in severity.

"Creating and sticking to a routine is the most important thing migraineurs can do to prevent stress-related attacks, and the pandemic has obviously made that difficult for millions of people." said Cadiou. "It is critical that migraine sufferers establish new routines during this new normal, including re-establishing regular sleep schedules and being mindful of what and when they eat. The best way to establish and stick to those behaviors is through a migraine diary or mobile health tracking app like Migraine Buddy."

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