Does migraine increase prevalence or fear of falls?
Symptoms of migraine can include pain, dizziness and vestibular dysfunction, and studies have also shown an association between migraine and impairments in balance and mobility.
Falls and Fear of falling can lead to a reduction in confidence, reduced mobility, disability and depression.
This study compared Fall prevalence and Fear of falling in female subjects with migraine to controls.
A structured questionnaire was used to identify history of falls and balance impairments, and subjects completed the Falls Self-Efficacy Scale (FES-I) to determine perceived confidence during daily activities.
Results showed a greater prevalence of dizziness, balance impairments and falls in subjects with migraine vs. controls. 54% of the migraine group reported 1 fall on average annually; in the general population, similar rates are reported for those over 80 years of age.
Falls were more prevalent in those with chronic migraine and migraine with aura than in subjects suffering from migraine without aura. Migraine was associated with a greater Fear of falling, especially for activities requiring gait and balance.
Further studies in a wider population are required, however the results highlight the potential benefit of physiotherapy addressing risk and Fear of falling for those with migraine.
> From: Carvalho et al., Physiotherapy (2018-03-02 14:20:51) (Epub ahead of print). All rights reserved to Elsevier Ltd. . Click here for the online summary.
