Migraine exacerbation during Ramadan fasting
Source : https://thejournalofheadacheandpain.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1007/s10194-010-0242-z
Fasting for approximately 1 month is an obligatory practice for Muslims during the month of Ramadan. We attempted to evaluate the effect of the Ramadan fasting on the frequency of migraine attacks among observant Muslim migraine sufferers using a cohort cross-over study.
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Huma Sheikh, CEO, NY Neurology Medicine, PCApril 01, 2021@Heidi Schwarz The date for Ramadan changes every year, Islam follows a lunar calendar so it is 10 days shorter than the solar calendar. Ramadan was in the winter when I was in high school and they were considerably easier, I do not remember particularly if I had more headaches but this time around when they come back in the shorter days, it would be a good thing to track. The main issue for me is the lack of that morning coffee which gives me a headache for the first few days while my body adjusts.
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Amy Gonzales, PhysicianMarch 31, 2021I have had patients suffer from migraines during fasting. Some patients accept medication therapy, but others refuse because it is a sacrifice they are willing to make during Ramadan.
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Heidi Schwarz, Professor of Clinical Neurology, URMCMarch 30, 2021I have often observed this in my muslim colleagues. We know that fasting is a clear trigger for migraines (which is why I advise that patients eat every 4-6 hours even if it is a small meal). It would be interesting to see if the frequency of migraines change if Ramadan occurs during the winter (when daylight is less) than in summer (with longer days and warmer temperatures).
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Huma Sheikh, CEO, NY Neurology Medicine, PCMarch 25, 2021Caffeine withdrawal and hypoglycemia are two important factors for this.