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Headache triggers in the US military
Brett J Theeler1, Kimbra Kenney, Olga A Prokhorenko
1Department of Medicine/Neurology Service, William Beaumont Army Medical Center, Medical Corps, United States Army, El Paso, TX 79920, USA.
Headache
|November 21, 2009
Summary
Headaches in military personnel are triggered by environmental factors, stress, consumption, and fatigue. Stress was a more common trigger for soldiers compared to civilians, informing potential headache reduction strategies.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Military Medicine
- Public Health
Background:
- Headaches are prevalent in military service members, but specific triggers remain unidentified.
- Understanding these triggers is crucial for managing headache conditions in this population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and analyze the specific factors triggering headaches in active-duty soldiers and other military beneficiaries.
- To compare headache triggers between military personnel and civilian populations.
Main Methods:
- A standardized questionnaire was administered to 172 US Army soldiers and military dependents at two medical centers.
- Data collected focused on identifying various headache triggers experienced by participants.
Main Results:
- Migraine was diagnosed in 77% of participants.
- 89% reported at least one trigger, averaging 8.3 triggers per person.
- Common triggers included environmental factors (74%), stress (67%), consumption (60%), and fatigue (57%).
- Stress triggers were significantly more prevalent in soldiers than civilians.
Conclusions:
- Headache triggers in military members largely mirror those in civilians, with stress being a primary factor.
- Identifying these triggers can aid in developing targeted interventions to decrease headache frequency in military populations.
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