An Association Between Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Migraines

Conclusions

In conclusion, this study demonstrates an association between carpal tunnel syndrome and migraine headache, independent of numerous risk factors and comorbidities. This association suggests the possibility, although not demonstrated in this study, of a common systemic or neurologic risk factor. In addition, migraine headache may be an early warning sign of an increased risk of future carpal tunnel syndrome. Further studies—including genetic and longitudinal studies with physician verification of diagnoses—are needed to further define the relationship between carpal tunnel and migraine headache.

Table 1. Weighted Distribution of Those with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Those with Migraine Headache by General and Health Characteristics, National Health Interview Survey 2010
Demographic Category	Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (N = 952)	Migraine Headache (N = 4212)
	Weighted % (95% CI)	Weighted % (95% CI)
General
Age group (years)
18–34	10.6 (8.1–13.1)	37.9 (35.9–39.9)
35–49	31.1 (27.3–34.9)	33.6 (31.6–35.5)
50–64	40.4 (36.4–44.4)	22.0 (20.4–23.5)
≥ 65	18.0 (15.0–20.9)	6.5 (5.7–7.4)
Gender
Male	33.5 (29.7–37.2)	33.2 (31.5–35.0)
Female	66.5 (62.8–70.3)	66.8 (65.0–68.5)
Race/ethnicity
Non-Hispanic White	74.3 (71.0–77.6)	68.5 (66.8–70.3)
Non-Hispanic Black	14.0 (11.4–16.6)	13.9 (12.6–15.2)
Hispanic	9.7 (7.8–11.7)	14.6 (13.4–15.8)
Asian	1.9 (0.9–2.9)	3.0 (2.4–3.6)
Health status and behaviors
Body mass index
Normal or underweight	23.8 (21.0–26.6)	36.2 (34.4–38.1)
Overweight	33.3 (29.9–36.8)	31.1 (29.4–32.9)
Obese	42.9 (39.1–46.7)	32.6 (30.9–34.4)
Diabetes mellitus
Yes	20.4 (17.2–23.6)	10.1 (9.0–11.2)
No	79.6 (76.4–82.8)	89.9 (88.8–91.0)
Smoking status
Current smoker	25.9 (22.6–29.3)	26.3 (24.6–27.9)
Former smoker	26.6 (23.1–30.1)	17.4 (16.0–18.8)
Never smoked	47.4 (43.7–51.2)	56.3 (54.4–58.3)
Total	100	100

Table 1. Weighted Distribution of Those with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Those with Migraine Headache by General and Health Characteristics, National Health Interview Survey 2010

Demographic Category

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (N = 952)

Migraine Headache (N = 4212)

Weighted % (95% CI)

General

Age group (years)

18–34

10.6 (8.1–13.1)

37.9 (35.9–39.9)

35–49

31.1 (27.3–34.9)

33.6 (31.6–35.5)

50–64

40.4 (36.4–44.4)

22.0 (20.4–23.5)

≥ 65

18.0 (15.0–20.9)

6.5 (5.7–7.4)

Gender

Male

33.5 (29.7–37.2)

33.2 (31.5–35.0)

Female

66.5 (62.8–70.3)

66.8 (65.0–68.5)

Race/ethnicity

Non-Hispanic White

74.3 (71.0–77.6)

68.5 (66.8–70.3)

Non-Hispanic Black

14.0 (11.4–16.6)

13.9 (12.6–15.2)

Hispanic

9.7 (7.8–11.7)

14.6 (13.4–15.8)

Asian

1.9 (0.9–2.9)

3.0 (2.4–3.6)

Health status and behaviors

Body mass index

Normal or underweight

23.8 (21.0–26.6)

36.2 (34.4–38.1)

Overweight

33.3 (29.9–36.8)

31.1 (29.4–32.9)

Obese

42.9 (39.1–46.7)

32.6 (30.9–34.4)

Diabetes mellitus

Yes

20.4 (17.2–23.6)

10.1 (9.0–11.2)

79.6 (76.4–82.8)

89.9 (88.8–91.0)

Smoking status

Current smoker

25.9 (22.6–29.3)

26.3 (24.6–27.9)

Former smoker

26.6 (23.1–30.1)

17.4 (16.0–18.8)

Never smoked

47.4 (43.7–51.2)

56.3 (54.4–58.3)

Total

100

Table 2. Weighted Prevalence and Adjusted Odds Ratio of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome or Migraine Headache by General and Health Characteristics, National Health Interview Survey 2010
Demographic Category	Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (N = 952)	Migraine Headache (N = 4212)
Weighted % (95% CI)	aOR (95% CI)	Weighted % (95% CI)	aOR (95% CI)
General
Age group (years)
18–34	1.2 (0.9–1.5)	Reference	19.9 (18.8–21.1)	Reference
35–49	4.1 (3.5–4.6)	3.05 (2.28–4.09)	20.1 (18.9–21.3)	0.92 (0.83–1.02)
49–64	5.8 (5.0–6.6)	4.33 (3.21–5.85)	14.4 (13.4–15.4)	0.57 (0.51–0.63)
≥65	3.8 (3.2–4.4)	3.11 (2.21–4.39)	6.3 (5.5–7.1)	0.23 (0.19–0.27)
Gender
Male	2.4 (2.1–2.8)	Reference	11.0 (10.3–11.7)	Reference
Female	4.7 (4.3–5.1)	1.93 (1.60–2.31)	21.5 (20.6–22.3)	2.40 (2.18–2.63)
Race/ethnicity
Non-Hispanic White	3.8 (3.5–4.2)	Reference	16.1 (15.5–16.8)	Reference
Non-Hispanic Black	4.2 (3.4–5.0)	1.02 (0.82–1.26)	18.9 (17.5–20.3)	1.03 (0.92–1.14)
Hispanic	2.5 (2.0–3.0)	0.72 (0.56–0.92)	16.8 (15.6–18.1)	0.95 (0.85–1.05)
Asian	1.5 (0.7–2.2)	0.52 (0.31–0.88)	10.3 (8.4–12.2)	0.61 (0.49–0.75)
Health status and behaviors
Body mass index
Normal or underweight	2.3 (2.0–2.6)	Reference	15.8 (14.8–16.7)	Reference
Overweight	3.4 (3.0–3.9)	1.50 (1.24–1.80)	14.6 (13.8–15.5)	1.11 (1.00–1.23)
Obese	5.5 (4.9–6.1)	2.01 (1.65–2.45)	19.1 (18.0–20.2)	1.33 (1.19–1.49)
Diabetes mellitus
Yes	7.1 (5.9–8.3)	1.59 (1.27–1.98)	16.0 (14.4–17.7)	1.32 (1.15–1.53)
No	3.2 (2.9–3.5)	Reference	16.3 (15.7–16.9)	Reference
Smoking status
Current smoker	4.8 (4.1–5.5)	1.64 (1.35–1.98)	22.1 (20.7–23.4)	1.57 (1.41–1.74)
Former smoker	4.4 (3.7–5.0)	1.29 (1.06–1.59)	13.0 (12.0–14.0)	1.06 (0.95–1.19)
Never smoked	2.9 (2.6–3.2)	Reference	15.6 (14.9–16.4)	Reference
Overall	3.6 (3.3–3.9)		16.3 (15.8–16.8)

Table 2. Weighted Prevalence and Adjusted Odds Ratio of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome or Migraine Headache by General and Health Characteristics, National Health Interview Survey 2010

Demographic Category

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (N = 952)

Migraine Headache (N = 4212)

Weighted % (95% CI)

aOR (95% CI)

Weighted % (95% CI)

aOR (95% CI)

General

Age group (years)

18–34

1.2 (0.9–1.5)

Reference

19.9 (18.8–21.1)

Reference

35–49

4.1 (3.5–4.6)

3.05 (2.28–4.09)

20.1 (18.9–21.3)

0.92 (0.83–1.02)

49–64

5.8 (5.0–6.6)

4.33 (3.21–5.85)

14.4 (13.4–15.4)

0.57 (0.51–0.63)

≥65

3.8 (3.2–4.4)

3.11 (2.21–4.39)

6.3 (5.5–7.1)

0.23 (0.19–0.27)

Gender

Male

2.4 (2.1–2.8)

Reference

11.0 (10.3–11.7)

Reference

Female

4.7 (4.3–5.1)

1.93 (1.60–2.31)

21.5 (20.6–22.3)

2.40 (2.18–2.63)

Race/ethnicity

Non-Hispanic White

3.8 (3.5–4.2)

Reference

16.1 (15.5–16.8)

Reference

Non-Hispanic Black

4.2 (3.4–5.0)

1.02 (0.82–1.26)

18.9 (17.5–20.3)

1.03 (0.92–1.14)

Hispanic

2.5 (2.0–3.0)

0.72 (0.56–0.92)

16.8 (15.6–18.1)

0.95 (0.85–1.05)

Asian

1.5 (0.7–2.2)

0.52 (0.31–0.88)

10.3 (8.4–12.2)

0.61 (0.49–0.75)

Health status and behaviors

Body mass index

Normal or underweight

2.3 (2.0–2.6)

Reference

15.8 (14.8–16.7)

Reference

Overweight

3.4 (3.0–3.9)

1.50 (1.24–1.80)

14.6 (13.8–15.5)

1.11 (1.00–1.23)

Obese

5.5 (4.9–6.1)

2.01 (1.65–2.45)

19.1 (18.0–20.2)

1.33 (1.19–1.49)

Diabetes mellitus

Yes

7.1 (5.9–8.3)

1.59 (1.27–1.98)

16.0 (14.4–17.7)

1.32 (1.15–1.53)

3.2 (2.9–3.5)

Reference

16.3 (15.7–16.9)

Reference

Smoking status

Current smoker

4.8 (4.1–5.5)

1.64 (1.35–1.98)

22.1 (20.7–23.4)

1.57 (1.41–1.74)

Former smoker

4.4 (3.7–5.0)

1.29 (1.06–1.59)

13.0 (12.0–14.0)

1.06 (0.95–1.19)

Never smoked

2.9 (2.6–3.2)

Reference

15.6 (14.9–16.4)

Reference

Overall

3.6 (3.3–3.9)

16.3 (15.8–16.8)

An Association Between Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Migraine Headaches

National Health Interview Survey, 2010

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An Association Between Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Migraine Headaches

National Health Interview Survey, 2010

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