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What Causes Headache In A Diabetic Person?

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Posted on Tue, 4 Aug 2015
Question: Academic question.
Does a diabetic person who has a headache or migraine headache, typically also experience higher blood glucose levels?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Shehzad Topiwala (31 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Unlikely

Detailed Answer:
Although it is less likely, it is still possible. There are published reports in world medical literature indicating that stress can elevate blood glucose levels. Migraine or any other headache that is severe enough can potentially cause enough stress to impact glucose levels. However to the best of my knowledge there are no publications in credible journals directly dealing with the association of headaches and high blood glucoses.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Follow up: Dr. Shehzad Topiwala (3 hours later)
Thank you for your answer. I think you answered my question but just to clarify..

I did not mean to imply that high blood sugars cause headaches. I do not believe this is so. I have seen that with tension headaches especially or migraines there is a high liver activity and dumping sugar into the blood stream in particular. So I was wondering as diabetics tend to be aware of their blood sugars if they had seen higher sugars with headache maybe indicating higher liver activity.

I believe there is much more to the story than simply the presence of higher levels of sugar. Possibly activity in areas of the brain that get magnified due to other stress factors combined with higher sugars. Maybe the higher sugars provide more fuel and in a highly activated area may raise the level of activation too high.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Shehzad Topiwala (12 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Follow up

Detailed Answer:
I get your point. It makes for a very interesting scientific discussion befitting academic domains such as medical conferences or research meetings.

I was also referring to your question in the context of headaches somehow leading to high glucoses and not the converse.

So both the mechanisms you are describing are quite possible.

The role of the brain in diabetes is increasingly being explored in much greater depth now than ever before. This decade of medical research will likely provide many answers in this arena
Note: For further follow-up, discuss your blood glucose reports with our diabetologist. Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Shehzad Topiwala

Endocrinologist

Practicing since :2001

Answered : 1663 Questions

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What Causes Headache In A Diabetic Person?

Brief Answer: Unlikely Detailed Answer: Although it is less likely, it is still possible. There are published reports in world medical literature indicating that stress can elevate blood glucose levels. Migraine or any other headache that is severe enough can potentially cause enough stress to impact glucose levels. However to the best of my knowledge there are no publications in credible journals directly dealing with the association of headaches and high blood glucoses.