SPD and Migraines

Are there any links between SPD and headaches?




My son has recently been diagnosed with SPD and we've also realized that he's suffering from frequent headaches (most likely migraines). I've been thinking that there are sensory aspects to migraines (sensitivity to lights and smells) and

I'm curious if anyone has ever recognized a link?



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Nov 27, 2020
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Possible Autism
by: Anonymous

I have chronic migraines, ADHD/ADD, and have not been diagnosed with SPD. I definitely have a sensitivity to light and sound, though. However, I have found that many people in my family suffer from ADHD/ADD or autism along with migraines. My nephew has had sensory issues for years along with hyperactivity. He was diagnosed with ADHD after much time. After a couple more years, we found out he had autism and ADHD. I am interested in the link between Sensory Processing Disorder and Autism. Are they the same thing or separate disorders?
Oct 28, 2019
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starstarstarstarstar 		Yes! SPD+Migraine sufferer.
by: Kathryn

Yes! There is a documented link between spd and migraine, not just in children but also in adults.

See links https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2019.00448/full

https://www.theraspecs.com/blog/sensory-processing-in-people-with-migraine/

There are more, just search Sensory Processing and Migraine.

There seems to be a lot of focus on SPD CAUSING migraines through overstimulation, but for me it seems the other way around. SPD is a symptom/warning sign of an impending migraine, (though I am generally slightly more sensitive to touch and temperature changes than other people). I've suffered from migraines once or twice a month since my teens (now early 30s) I also get attacks of what I used to call "noise/touch claustrophobia" which I have come to recognise as a pre-migraine warning, 1 to 3 days before the start of the migraine. My clothes feel ill-fitting and irritating as if I'm trying to cook dinner etc wrapped in a tangled bed sheet; a plaster on my finger becomes a boxing glove; noises all mesh together and swirl suffocatingly around my head (hence 'noise claustrophobia'); I feel overheated one minute and freezing the next (but not in a feverish kind of way, just super-sensitive to temperature fluctuations); people around me move too fast and too clumpily; everything is too close, movement or sound from across the room seems like it's right in my face, too far into my personal space. Basically, absolutely EVERYTHING is intensely irritating and I have that prickly neck feeling as though a ghost is looking over my shoulder. I could go on...

I always found it very difficult to describe how it feels - I think this is the first time I've written it down - and have felt very much alone. It was not until I heard of SPD in children (when researching my daughter's reactions to certain things) that I finally figured it out. Sometimes it almost seems worse than the migraine itself, because at least people take the 'pain' side of it seriously and will be quiet, but fail to understand or respect the SPD side of it before the onset of pain.
Apr 10, 2019
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starstarstarstarstar 		Sensory overloaded migraine
by: Anonymous

I was diagnosed with SPD at 16 I do get sensory overload migraines. I noticed that Advil helps and a little quiet time.
Jan 16, 2018
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Weather, migraines, and SPD
by: Kelly

It’s comforting to see other people with these issues- I had my first sensory triggered migraine at 40- but had struggled with headaches most of my life. I have always been sensitive to sounds and smells.

My son, who is now 13, had his first migraine 2 years ago and it was triggered by dehydration. He is also VERY sound sensitive, and in my belief may possibly have misophonia.

He has been referred by teachers for ADD, and doctors have determined that while he does not have ADD, there is some issue that has "yet to be determined."

I can’t help but believe that these are related.
Jul 14, 2017
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starstarstarstarstar 		Migraines with SPD
by: Anonymous

Hello I am an 18 who has lived with SPD but much later in life and migraines are definitely linked with SPD over simulation and they are much harder to be around others when over simulated and quite painful for me. I hope this help parents or others with SPD and migraines.

For me Tylenol makes my headaches much more worse for about three hours before getting better but the pain is too much I can't bother. It is definitely best way to remove them from an over simultaneous environment and place them in a quite room with no particular smells and if they like music it will definitely help.

Hope this helps.😊
Mar 28, 2017
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		yea
by: Anonymous

I have SPD and I've noticed that I always have headaches after prolonged sensory overload. I think there definitely is a link, because when I spend all day in my dark, quiet room I feel fine, but when I go do things all day I have headaches.
Jan 08, 2016
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starstarstarstarstar 		Migraines and Chiari
by: Anonymous

Please also research chiari malformation and ask your doctor if the headaches could be related to this.
Mar 03, 2015
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		SPD & Migraines
by: Anonymous

Hi! My son is now 13 & has had SPD issues since he was born (although not recognized until much later). He suffers from headaches as well (esp. when in school), & has for a number of years. We have long since figured they had to be due to the SPD (over-stimulation). Some of the headaches become migraines, & this school year he had a couple of horrible vertigo spells (couldn't walk & so sick), which now have been said to be migraine related by an ENT & Neurologist.

While I am still searching for documentation, it does appear that headaches & migraines are some how linked with SPD (which makes sense to me), just like depression & anxiety. It's so hard to watch him go through these things & we wish there was more we could do; we remain supportive.
Dec 14, 2014
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starstarstarstarstar 		SPD and Migraines
by: Ellen

This link just hit me, as well.
Feb 05, 2013
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		HELP
by: Anonymous

Hello, my son is 9, has SPD, has chronic migraines... MD's want to put him on an anti-anxiety medication.. Will this help?
Jan 14, 2013
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		7yr old with spd and other issues
by: Anonymous

My son has had sensory issues since birth and headaches, migraines, since toddler. Recently i have noticed that if he gets overstimulated he has been getting the headaches more frequent after activities. After reading these others im wondering myself if its all related. i feel bad for him because i know how migraines feel. does anyone have any ideas how to help them motrin and tylenol are the only thing i give my child.
Nov 05, 2012
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		SPD and migraines
by: Anonymous

My son, who is 9, also suffers from the same thing. He started having migraines last year. School is very hard for him. He is hypersensitive to sound so just about anywhere we go can be troubling. He starts OT on Wednesday. He was diagnosed by his neurologist last week with sensory defensiveness. I think he is more on the SPD spectrum than he thinks. I'm glad to finally have some answers to his problems. Has anyone found solutions to migraines associated with SPD? His doctor put him on meds, starting with 600mg of ibuprofen, but it normally doesn't help. I appreciate any help with this. Also, I'm so happy to know that there are others going through the same thing we are.
Nov 04, 2012
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		SPD andMigraines are connected, in my opinion
by: Laura

My son, who's seven, has Hypersensitivities to foods, lights, sounds and smells. He has suffered from migraines ever since he was a toddler, though it took over three years to finally get a diagnosis. I'm new to the SPD diagnosis and have been told by an OT his migraines are probably triggered by his SPD. I certainly would like to learn more about the link between these two issues.
Apr 27, 2012
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		SPD and Migraines
by: Anonymous

I suffer from both. I was searching to see if there was a link a myself. Im an adult with chronic migraines from weather and hormones. I am trying to address the migraines from the SPD core first. Just learning about my diagnosis and I've lost a number of uneducated family as a result of going undiagnosed for too long.
A mild sunburn( so mild I didnt feel it) under pool table lights will have me overheating to the point of becoming asmatic only one day later from sun exposure. That is SPD and it launches a migraine attacks.
Dec 27, 2011
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Headaches
by: Anonymous

I had a lot of sensory issues when I was young and I just realized reading this that they came back strong/ I started thinking about them when my migraines started around 6th grade, 3 years ago. I was in the advanced math classes for my three years in middle school, but my headaches/ migraines got so bad, everyday that I couldn't concentrate in class or after school so that i am now retaking the same class I took last year ( given my teacher was bad)
Nov 10, 2011
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		SPD and migraines
by: Anonymous

well after all these years i think i have finally found a connection and can also say that i feel relieved that there are other people out there and wish to connect with them and find out what they are doing for their child. i have a 8 year old who gets migraines once or twice a week and has lots of learning difficulties and after years of going to various specialist i have stumbled upon this site through a friend and want more information, so if anyone would like to be in touch please do so through the site. thanks for your time reading this and hope we can all find a solution to this.
Nov 06, 2010
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		SPD and Migraines
by: Anonymous

My son has SPD and migraines, but his migraines are triggered by weather changes and possibly hormones since his migraines got worse when he entered puberty.

I don't have SPD but I usually get migraines around the same time my son does, with weather changes. When he was younger, before he had migraines, I saw how sensory issues affected him, and I noticed that he had some of the same sensitivities that I had when I had a migraine.

I think my son's SPD makes him more sensitive to pain and he can't take the Excedrine Migraine that I take because it contains aspirin. He can only take Ibuprofen and it doesn't work as well.

He had three migraines last week. Pain is distracting, especially for a kid with SPD. My son has trouble concentrating on math and writing when he has a migraine. I don't know how we could deal with this if we were not able to homeschool. We are constantly working around pain.
Oct 01, 2010
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Migraines
by: Anonymous

My son has SPD and in the last few years we discovered that he has migraines too. I can't find a family history for the migraines so I wonder if it might be related to SPD. He has light and noise sensitivity plus nausea when he as an attack.
Sep 03, 2010
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		head aches
by: Anonymous

I can't completely answer that question. But i will say that my son also complains about head aches and stomach aches and even neck aches...which i feel as though are brought on my his anxiety and stress. Would this apply to your child? Your comments about the sensitivities to light and sound are an interesting connection though!

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