Lupus Headaches vs Migraines – What’s the Difference?

Lupus Headache Causes Again—there is a debate whether a lupus headache is different from a regular headache. Dimos D. Mitsikostas, Petros P. Sfikakis, and Peter J. Goadsby shared their findings in A Meta‐Analysis for Headache in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: The Evidence and the Myth that the “lupus headache” is most likely just a primary headache. The SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS DISEASE ACTIVITY INDEX, though, recognizes the term as legitimate and ranges it from mild (like a primary headache) to acute (like a migraine.) Many anecdotes from #LupusWarriors also support the existence of the “lupus headache.” Regardless, headaches from central nervous system lupus (CNS-SLE) are a real problem. In some cases, lupus affects the central nervous system (CNS), which is where the headaches come into play. When CNS-SLE is active, the inflammation of the CNS causes the discomfort—more specifically, vasculitis. What to Do Next—How to Determine If Headaches Are from Lupus Talking to a medical team is essential to understand what treatment options are for headaches associated with lupus and migraines as some medications compromise the immune system. It is paramount to get checked for CNS-SLE if diagnosed with lupus and experiencing constant or severe headaches. Tests such as spinal taps and MRIs might need to take place to determine if the disease has spread to the CNS. The Takeaway Headaches and lupus seem to be one and the same. There are certain measures to complete to keep the body as healthy and comfortable as it possibly can be when experiencing lupus headaches—(be sure to take our survey and hear from other #LupusWarriors who have lupus headaches!). As always, there’s a community of people that understand the journey ahead and are here to support—hang in there.

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