E2 ModerateModerate confidencePEM not requiredCross-SectionalPeer-reviewedMachine draft
Frequency of Migraine Headaches in Patients With Fibromyalgia.
Vij, Brinder, Whipple, Mary O, Tepper, Stewart J et al. · Headache · 2015 · DOI
Quick Summary
This study examined how often people with fibromyalgia experience migraine headaches. Researchers surveyed over 1,700 fibromyalgia patients and found that about 56% met the criteria for migraines. People with both conditions were more likely to also have depression, anxiety, IBS, and chronic fatigue syndrome, suggesting these overlapping conditions increase overall burden on patients.
Why It Matters
Since ME/CFS and fibromyalgia share overlapping symptoms and patient populations, understanding comorbid migraine prevalence helps clinicians recognize and treat multiple interconnected conditions. The strong association with ME/CFS (50.7% in migraine group vs. 37.1% without) suggests shared pathophysiological mechanisms or symptom clustering relevant to both disorders.
Observed Findings
- 55.8% (966/1,730) of surveyed fibromyalgia patients met criteria for migraine headaches
- Chronic fatigue syndrome was significantly more common in the migraine-positive group (50.7% vs. 37.1%, P < 0.0001)
- Depression was more prevalent in migraine-positive patients (66.5% vs. 56.7%, P = 0.0002)
- Anxiety disorder occurred more frequently in those with migraines (43.5% vs. 34.7%, P = 0.0011)
- Irritable bowel syndrome was significantly associated with migraine status (54.6% vs. 47.6%, P = 0.017)
Inferred Conclusions
- Migraine headaches are common in the fibromyalgia population and warrant routine screening
- The overlap between migraine, fibromyalgia, and other conditions (particularly ME/CFS and psychiatric disorders) suggests clinicians must assess for multiple concurrent conditions
- Cumulative disease burden is significantly elevated in fibromyalgia patients with concurrent migraines
Remaining Questions
- What are the shared biological or pathophysiological mechanisms linking fibromyalgia, migraine, and ME/CFS?
- Does treatment of one condition improve outcomes in the others, and what is the optimal management strategy for patients with multiple overlapping conditions?
What This Study Does Not Prove
This study does not prove that migraine causes fibromyalgia or vice versa—it only shows they occur together frequently. The cross-sectional design cannot establish causality or temporal relationships. Additionally, the study does not explain the biological mechanisms linking these conditions or whether treatments for one would help the other.
Tags
Symptom:PainFatigue
Method Flag:No ControlsMixed Cohort
Metadata
- DOI
- 10.1111/head.12590
- PMID
- 25994041
- Review status
- Machine draft
- Evidence level
- Single-study or moderate support from human research
- Last updated
- 8 April 2026
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
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