Large study finds association between headaches and digestive symptoms

A large study conducted in Norway points at some definite links between headaches and GI tract complaints like acid reflux (see figure on the left), nausea, constipation, and diarrhea. Over 60,000 people participated, and the results were adjusted for sex, age, education, depression, anxiety and use of medication. The clearest connection was between headache frequency and GI symptoms (rather than severity, or simple headache occurrence). All reported symptoms were evaluated clinically (quite a feat!) and so there is some measure of objectivity to the data as well.