Suffering headaches also seems to be linked to other medical conditions, such as asthma and fibromyalgia, suggest researchers:
- around 1 in 5 tension-type headache sufferers also had raised levels of immunoglobulins associated with atopic disorders¹
- a larger study of over 50,000 people also found a link between migraine/other headaches and asthma, hayfever and bronchitis²
- having headaches is also a risk factor for fibromyalgia, suggesting a common link to the same pain modulation system³
- allodynia (an increased perception of pain where, for example, clothes brushing against skin can feel painful) is more common in migraine sufferers and those with transformed migraine⁴
- being obese can make migraines worse.⁵

On the positive side, however, it is possible that diabetes has a protective effect against migraine as fewer diabetics experience this headache problem.⁶

1. Ozge A, Baykan B, Demir N. Clinical and immunological correlates of migraine and atopic disorders: A multicenter controlled attack study. Abstract A017. 2. Aamodt AH, Hagen K, Langhammer A et al. Headache prevalence related to asthma, hay fever and chronic bronchitis. The Head-HUNT Study. Abstract A050. 3. de tomasso M, Lamberti P, Livrea P et al. Fibromyalgia comorbidity in primary headaches. Abstract A003. 4. Bigali M, Ashina S, Buse D et al. Prevalence and characteristics of allodynia in headache sufferers. Abstract B016. 5. Bigali M, Lipton R, Loder E et al. Body mass index and episodic headaches - a population study. Abstract D021.