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Correlation between migraines, depression and anxiety

Wes Irwin
Dr. Wes Irwin
Provided

About the author

Wes Irwin, MD, MS, is founder and medical director at Tahoe Ketamine. With over 15 years of experience in the operating room, Dr. Irwin brings years of clinical experience to the Lake Tahoe area. He is currently on staff at Barton Memorial Hospital, Carson Valley Medical Center, Lake Tahoe Surgery Center and St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center. He completed his residency in anesthesiology at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. Inspired by the possibility of helping the thousands of individuals suffering in the Lake Tahoe and surrounding areas, Dr. Irwin established Tahoe Ketamine in 2019.

Migraines are extremely widespread in the United States, and much more debilitating than people realize.

There are about 39 million people who struggle daily with this neurological disease, which makes it the third most prevalent illness in the world. Not only do these severe and persistent headaches affect daily life, but they may be connected with mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety.

Current research is being performed to figure out what the link may be. For example, do migraines lead to depression and anxiety? Or is it psychiatric illness that leads to migraines?



According to Dawn Buse Ph.D., from the Montefiore Headache Center, individuals who suffer from chronic migraines are five times more likely to develop depression and anxiety.

Buse believes, “It’s very logical when you’re living with a chronic disease like migraine, which is affecting your life in such a big way, that you’re going to feel sad and down and frustrated about how it’s affecting your life.”



Scientists and medical professionals are not exactly sure if there is an exact cause and effect between migraines and mental health, but; there may also be genetic factors making some individuals more predisposed to developing one and then the other.

Fortunately, there are multiple treatment options for depression, anxiety and chronic pain.

The most common treatment options include talk therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, relaxation techniques, and medications. Cognitive behavioral therapy works to change the way your brain processes sadness and anxiety enabling you to better cope with each new circumstance or episode.

If you have tried all of the first-line treatments but nothing has worked, you may be a candidate for ketamine infusions. Ketamine infusions are especially appropriate for those suffering from both migraines headaches and severe depression.

As the leading ketamine clinic in the Sierra Nevada, we have seen how effective ketamine can be for treating the symptoms of depression, anxiety, chronic pain and cluster conditions, including migraines.

Ketamine infusions work by allowing your brain to reform healthy neural connections associated with various neurological and mental disorders.

We have personally seen ketamine change and save lives, and it could change yours, too.

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