Scrolling on your phone could increase risk of debilitating migraines, study finds
Scrolling on your phone for too long puts people at greater risk of debilitating migraines, a new study shows.
Researchers from Taiyuan Central Hospital in China found that long-term phone use was one of two habits linked to an increased risk of painful headaches, alongside eating large amounts of poultry.
In contrast, drinking coffee and consuming oily fish such as mackerel and tuna were associated with a lower risk.
The study is the latest to link phone use to migraines – a serious and painful long-term condition that causes attacks of headaches, light sensitivity, fatigue and nausea.
A Turkish paper from earlier this year found that smartphone use increased both the duration and frequency of headaches in migraine patients.
Excessive phone use was also linked to poor sleep quality and daytime sleepiness for people with the condition.
About six million people in Britain suffer from migraines. Most rely on painkillers to ease the pain, or on prescription medications – called triptans – that can shorten the duration of attacks.
In recent years the NHS has begun rolling out a number of revolutionary migraine drugs – known as calcitonin gene-related peptide inhibitors – which are highly effective in reducing the frequency and severity of symptoms.
Researchers from Taiyuan Central Hospital in China found that prolonged phone use was one of two habits linked to an increased risk of painful headaches
A Turkish paper from earlier this year found that smartphone use increased both the duration and frequency of headaches in migraine patients
But these drugs are only offered to patients who have not responded to other treatments.
Experts advise migraine sufferers to identify the habits that trigger their attacks.
Stress, low blood sugar and too much caffeine can all increase the risk of migraines.
‘For some, light or screen glare is a trigger, while for others muscle tension in the neck and shoulders from extended screen time can contribute to an attack,’ says Pippa Coulter, manager at UK migraine charity The Migraine Trust.
‘If seizures occur frequently after cell phone use, it may be worth experimenting with screen brightness, adjusting text size if necessary, assessing posture during phone use, or monitoring how much screen time problems occur seems to cause.
‘Taking regular breaks can help reduce the chance of an attack.’