Health · Medical Research · 4 hrs ago
Endometriosis Is Linked to More Than Double the Odds of Migraine
A review of 35 studies found a strong link between endometriosis and migraine among women.
The analysis covered more than 13 million women, and those with endometriosis had more than twice the odds of migraine than those without it.
Endometriosis occurs when tissue similar to the uterine lining grows elsewhere in the body and can cause pelvic pain and inflammation.
The overlap can be easy to miss because the conditions are often handled by different specialists and recorded separately.
Short-term health records may miss up to 90% of women with both conditions, while patient interviews found the overlap more often.
Recognizing both conditions could help patients get pain relief, and some treatments may potentially help with both.
Researchers say more studies are needed to confirm whether migraine medicines targeting the pain-signalling chemical CGRP can ease endometriosis pain; the findings were presented at a medical meeting and are preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
A meta-analysis found that women with endometriosis had more than twice the odds of also having migraines.
The analysis covered 35 studies involving about 208,000 women with endometriosis and nearly 13 million without it.
The overlap was detected more often in patient interviews than in short-term medical or billing records.
Researchers said the conditions may share pain pathways, including one involving the chemical messenger CGRP.
They said recognizing both conditions may help guide treatment, but further research is needed on potential treatments.
- Who
- Researchers led by Yohannes Woubishet Woldeamanuel of Mayo Clinic Arizona.
- What
- A meta-analysis found that women with endometriosis had 2.3 times the odds of also having migraines.
- When
- The findings were presented on October 20, 2026.
- Where
- At the American Neurological Association’s annual meeting in San Diego.
- Why
- The researchers said the conditions may share pain pathways, and recognizing both could help with treatment.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The findings were presented at the American Neurological Association’s annual meeting in San Diego.
HealthDay reported that the meeting had concluded on Tuesday and noted that the findings were preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
- Studies analyzed
- 35
- Women with endometriosis in the analysis
- About 208,000
- Women without endometriosis in the analysis
- Nearly 13 million
- Higher odds of migraine
- 2.3 times for women with endometriosis
- Overlap missed by short-term records
- Up to 90% of women with both conditions
2 sources
What people are saying
CGRP is well-known for transmitting and amplifying pain signals during migraine attacks
There is a visibility gap because migraine and endometriosis are treated by different specialists and recorded separately, making the overlap easy to miss
Women who have—or think they may have—both migraine and endometriosis should understand that it is probably not a coincidence and should tell their doctors about all their symptoms