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What Is a Transformed Migraine?

Transformed migraine is uncommon. It occurs when occasional migraines turn into almost daily migraines. Medication overuse and lifestyle factors influence this process. Medications and lifestyle changes can reverse this problem.

  1. Migraine

    • Migraine is a neurological disorder commonly characterized by extreme head pain. Approximately 12 percent of the population suffer from migraines, and close to 4 percent suffer from chronic migraines.

    Transformed Migraine

    • Transformed migraine (TM) occurs when episodic migraines gradually transform into chronic migraines over time. Transformed migraine can be treated and reversed over time.

    Statistics

    • A 2009 article by Dr. Marcelo Bigal and Dr. Richard Lipton, published in Current Opinion in Neurology, states that approximately 3 percent of people with migraines will have their migraines transform in any given year.

    Causes

    • Migraine medication use can transform migraines. A 2008 study by Dr. Bigal and his colleagues, published in Headache, found that the use of opiates and barbiturates are linked to transformed migraine. The 2009 article by Dr. Bigal and Dr. Lipton also cites caffeine overuse, snoring and obesity as risk factors.

    Treatments

    • Lifestyle changes, such as reducing caffeine intake and weight loss, can help. Dr. Bert Vargas and Dr. David Dodick, in a 2009 issue of Neurologic Clinics, cite evidence that topiramate and divalproex sodium can significantly reduce the frequency of migraines.

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