Headaches in non insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

The aim of the study was to assess the frequency and nature of headaches in patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes (NIDDM). The investigations included 154 patients with NIDDM, 90 females and 64 males aged between 30 to 65 years. Duration of diabetes varied from 6 months to 37 years. The control group comprised 106 persons. Of the 127 NIDDM patients complaining of headaches, 95 had migraine headaches and 32 tension-type headaches. In 50 patients the onset of migraine headaches occurred when the patients were afflicted with diabetes. In 45 patients migraine was diagnosed before they began to suffer from diabetes. In these patients the onset of diabetes significantly increased the average yearly number of headache days. In 21 patients tension-type headaches occurred in the course of diabetes. 11 patients had tension-type headaches before the onset of the disease. In these cases the onset of diabetes increased significantly the average yearly number of headache days. In the control group, migraine was diagnosed in 17 subjects and tension-type headaches in 28 subjects.