Migraines & Psoriasis

What’s wrong with your skin can’t possibly have anything to do with what’s wrong with your brain. Or can it? Are you someone with psoriasis and have severe headaches or migraines?

As someone who lives with psoriasis, I certainly have become very sensitive to some things. Over the past couple of years, I have started terrible headaches.

Psoriasis is a real (migraine) headache

I am proud that I am mindful and aware of my body - it's all thanks to psoriasis. For many years I have been concerned about progression. I have had this disease for over five decades and very seldom got headaches.

It is necessary for those who live with psoriasis to be aware of what is happening with our bodies and why. I've learned that I cannot just leave it to the doctor to tell me what is happening. I am very aware of my own condition which has helped me be more caring and sensitive towards my body. Each one of you should do the same too.

After getting some painful headaches, I decided to do some research. Is there a connection between migraines and psoriasis? My findings were stunning.

So, what is the connection?

Did you ever think that something that affects the skin would affect the brain? This never dawned on me. Never thought much about the other possibilities. Never tried to find the connection.

What’s the connection? Cytokines. Cytokines are small proteins that are crucial in controlling the growth and activity of other immune system cells and blood cells.

Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease driven by high levels of cytokines. These inflammatory signaling molecules may also contribute to the hypersensitivity that characterizes migraine headaches.

The impact of inflammation

Also in my findings, patients with psoriatic arthritis had the highest migraine risk, suggesting that the level of systemic inflammation may be the common denominator.

In simple words, an increased level of inflammation is common in both conditions. Controlling chronic inflammation isn't easy - there are many factors to consider including nutritional, emotional, and social.

Keep surviving and striving to be the psoriasis warrior that I know you can be. Sending you gentle hugs as you experience your next painful psoriasis flare partnered with that painful headache.