Headaches Are Common In People With Epilepsy

What was studied

This study combined results from 73 observational studies that reported how often people with epilepsy also had headaches. In total, the studies included 103,357 people with epilepsy, including 2,067 children.

The researchers searched several medical databases and pooled the results using a meta-analysis. They also examined differences by age, geographic region, and headache subtype, including headaches reported between seizures or after seizures.

What they found

Overall, the study estimated that about 40% of people with epilepsy had headaches. In children with epilepsy, the estimate was 27.5%, or a little more than 1 in 4. Headache prevalence differed significantly by region, with the highest rates reported in Africa and the lowest in North America. Among headaches temporally related to seizures, interictal and postictal headaches were the most frequently reported subtypes. The study also reported lower headache prevalence in patients receiving polytherapy compared with monotherapy.

Limits of the evidence

This review mainly shows how common headaches were in published observational studies; it cannot show whether epilepsy causes headaches or explain why rates differ. The studies likely varied in how they defined and measured headache, which can affect the pooled estimate. Only a small part of the total sample was children, so the child estimate is less certain. The authors also found evidence of publication bias for several outcomes, meaning the published studies may not give a fully balanced picture.

For families and caregivers

For families, this suggests that headaches are common in people with epilepsy and may be underrecognized, including in children. This does not tell which child or adult will have headaches or what treatment is best, but it supports asking about headaches during epilepsy visits and noting when they happen in relation to seizures.

What to watch next

Future studies, especially in children, that use contemporary diagnostic criteria and follow people over time may help refine prevalence estimates and guide care.

Terms in this summary

systematic review

A study that carefully collects and summarizes all relevant research on a question.

meta-analysis

A method that combines results from multiple studies to produce an overall estimate.

observational study

A study where researchers observe what happens without assigning a treatment.

prevalence

How common something is in a group at a certain time or over a study period.

interictal headache

A headache reported between seizures.

postictal headache

A headache that happens after a seizure.

polytherapy

Using more than one medicine to treat a condition.

publication bias

A problem where studies with certain results are more likely to be published than others.