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Do patients with obstructive sleep apnea wake up with headaches?
N K Loh1, D S Dinner, N Foldvary
1The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Ohio 44195, USA.
Archives of Internal Medicine
|August 17, 1999
Summary
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is linked to morning headaches. Treating OSA with CPAP or surgery significantly reduces these awakening headaches, improving patient quality of life.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Sleep Medicine
- Pulmonology
Background:
- A controversy exists regarding the association between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and morning headaches.
- This study aimed to investigate the relationship between OSA and morning headaches.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with morning headaches.
- To characterize the headaches in OSA patients and assess treatment response.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 80 OSA patients undergoing polysomnography.
- Headache history collected and classified using International Headache Society criteria.
- Comparison with 22 control patients with periodic limb movement disorder.
Main Results:
- 60% of OSA patients reported headaches; 48% experienced awakening headaches.
- Awakening headaches were significantly more common in OSA patients than controls.
- Headache occurrence and severity correlated with OSA severity; treatment improved headaches by 80%.
Conclusions:
- Awakening headaches are associated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
- Headache characteristics include brief duration and correlation with OSA severity.
- Treatment of OSA, via CPAP or surgery, effectively reduces these headaches.