 Headaches and Memory
Frequently Asked Questions
Click here to read
the content disclaimer
Headaches and Memory (by Barbaranne Branca, PhD)
Can head pain cause memory
or concentration problems?
Often it does. In our center we use a questionnaire to assess memory or neurocognitive
functioning.
We have found that many headache patients report cognitive inefficiency, confusion,
and problems with thinking clearly. At work patients may compromise by doing easier
tasks, while at home they may leave out ingredients in recipes they have made hundreds
of times. These tasks involve the brain's ability to perform various intellectual
functions, from the elementary to the more complex. Even a simple task, such as
picking up a paper clip, involves some foresight and planning, some physical ability
or "motor" skills, the integration of visual and motor skills, and memory.
Back to Top | Back to FAQs
What specific symptoms do you hear from
patients?
Problems with speech production, stuttering, word-finding problems, decreased vocabulary,
completion of sentences, and mathematical computation are reported. Organization
of any sort, from leading the budget committee to planning a picnic, may be difficult
for someone suffering a headache. External distraction—people talking, phones ringing,
voices in the hallway—or internal distraction—pain, worries about money—interrupt
the thinking sequence, making the headache sufferer more prone to error.
What becomes more frightening and frustrating to the patient is that their ability
to retrieve information from memory appears to decline over time, which appears
to be a function of both chronic headache disorders and medication side effects.
Back to Top | Back to FAQs
What are the first steps to address
pain-related changes in thinking and judgment?
An evaluation of cognitive functioning is essential with respect to a patient's
ability to perform their job, drive, handle machinery and equipment, manage medications
safely, and/or interact socially. It is important to let your pain professional
know if you have observed difficulties with thinking or if you have observed changes
in your abilities over time.
At MHNI a neuropsychologist explores all aspects of cognitive functioning or thinking
with the patient. Objective evaluation is warranted if you or a family member are
observing errors or changes that interfere with your functioning at home or on the
job. As part of your multidisciplinary team, a neuropsychologist will perform a
series of tests to understand your cognitive strengths and changes. Your physician
will further help to determine if your memory function is impacted by pain, changes
in your brain, or your medications.
A treatment plan would then focus on strategies that emphasize your strengths and
bolster any weaknesses, work around your pain attacks, and increase your functioning.
Back to Top | Back to FAQs
Are there any studies that look at the
impact of pain on thinking?
Yes. A study to measure cognitive efficiency during migraine compared headache patients
at baseline (when they did not have a headache) and then during a migraine. The
results showed a significant drop in a patient's ability to perform on neurocognitive
tests when they had a migraine. Other studies indicated similar results.
A study underway at MHNI indicates that headache sufferers have problems with thinking
when they have a headache, and concentration and problem-solving can actually lead
to an increase in headache pain.
Cognitive functioning, including memory and vocabulary, has also been found to be
impaired in fibromyalgia patients. Consistent with headache patients, this impairment
does not appear to be specifically age-related; both younger and older patients
may experience impaired memory functioning.
|