The relationship of tobacco use and migraine: A narrative review

Abstract

•Purpose of Review Tobacco use is associated with significant health consequences especially for people with medical conditions. Although lifestyle strategies (e.g., sleep, diet) are commonly recommended as part of migraine treatment, tobacco related strategies (e.g., smoking cessation) are rarely included. This review is aimed at elucidating what is known about tobacco use and migraine and at identifying gaps in the research.

•Recent Findings The prevalence of smoking is higher among people with migraine, and people with migraine believe that smoking makes migraine attacks worse. There is also evidence that smoking may exacerbate migraine-related consequences (e.g., stroke). Very few studies have examined other aspects of smoking and migraine or tobacco products other than cigarettes.

•Summary There are significant gaps in our knowledge of smoking and migraine. More research is needed to understand the relationship of tobacco use to migraine and potential benefits of adding smoking cessation efforts into migraine care.

Description

Scholarly article / Open access

Keywords

Migraine, Tobacco, Cigarettes, Smoking, Smoking cessation

Citation

Weinberger, A. H., & Seng, E. K. (2023). The relationship of tobacco use and migraine: A narrative review. Current Pain and Headache Reports, 27(4), 39-47.