Study: Rare Disorder That Causes Headaches Is on the Rise, Especially in Women

Key Takeaways

When is a headache more than a headache? For patients diagnosed with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), what starts as a debilitating headache can lead to other symptoms, like vision loss.

According to a new study published on January 20 in the journalNeurology, IIH cases are on the rise.

What Is IIH?

The Study

Researchers in Wales analyzed data from 2003-2017 which showed a significant increase in IIH cases. The results also showed that there were common factors in IHI cases, including weight, sex, and socioeconomic circumstances.

Left unchecked, IIH can lead to severe vision loss, as well as continuing headache pain.

Treatment for severe cases can include brain surgery to relieve the pressure from the excess fluid through acranial shunt. Non-surgical treatments include medication and weight loss.

What This Means For YouIdiopathic intracranial hypertension is more than just a headache. Women, especially those who overweight and/or are socioeconomically disadvantaged, are more likely to develop IHI. If you are experiencing severe headache pain and vision loss, reach out to your doctor for treatment.

What This Means For You

Idiopathic intracranial hypertension is more than just a headache. Women, especially those who overweight and/or are socioeconomically disadvantaged, are more likely to develop IHI. If you are experiencing severe headache pain and vision loss, reach out to your doctor for treatment.

IIH and Obesity Rates Both Rising

The researchers found that the incidence of IIH has increased six-fold over the course of the 15-year study. During that time, obesity rates have also been rising.

Pickrell says that researchers are still studying why women are more likely to develop IIH. Regardless of whether they were male or female, weight was a consistent factor among those diagnosed with the condition.

Health Effects of Obesity

The Role of Socioeconomic Circumstances

Pickrell also found that deprivation levels seemed to play a part in IHI—especially for women. The study indicated that women with fewer socioeconomic advantages were at a particularly increased risk for IHI.

What Is Deprivation?Deprivation refers to several factors, including income stability, access to healthcare, education, safe housing, and community safety, among others.

What Is Deprivation?

Deprivation refers to several factors, including income stability, access to healthcare, education, safe housing, and community safety, among others.

Using the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation (WIMD), Pickrell and his colleagues found that women with higher deprivation rates were more likely to have IIH.

“So many diseases and health outcomes are linked to deprivation, really,” Pickrell says. “Chronic diseases are more common, and the outcomes are worse. Nutrition is certainly a factor. Obesity is more common in more deprived areas. It could be environmental pollution or smoking rates.”

Counting Patients’ Social Determinants of Health Could Help Prevent Fatal Heart Attacks

However, Pickrell says that he cannot make any firm conclusions about why deprivation is linked to IHI. Within the parameters of the study, deprivation was geographically based on where patients lived rather than on the patients' individual deprivation level.

3 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Cedars-Sinai.Idiopathic intracranial hypertension.Miah L, Strafford H, Fonferko-Shadrach B, Hollinghurst J, Sawhney IM, Hadjikoutis S, et al.Incidence, prevalence and healthcare outcomes in idiopathic intracranial hypertension: a population study[published online ahead of print, 2021 Jan 20].Neurology. 2021. doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000011463University of Birmingham.IIH: WTT trial.

3 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Cedars-Sinai.Idiopathic intracranial hypertension.Miah L, Strafford H, Fonferko-Shadrach B, Hollinghurst J, Sawhney IM, Hadjikoutis S, et al.Incidence, prevalence and healthcare outcomes in idiopathic intracranial hypertension: a population study[published online ahead of print, 2021 Jan 20].Neurology. 2021. doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000011463University of Birmingham.IIH: WTT trial.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Cedars-Sinai.Idiopathic intracranial hypertension.Miah L, Strafford H, Fonferko-Shadrach B, Hollinghurst J, Sawhney IM, Hadjikoutis S, et al.Incidence, prevalence and healthcare outcomes in idiopathic intracranial hypertension: a population study[published online ahead of print, 2021 Jan 20].Neurology. 2021. doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000011463University of Birmingham.IIH: WTT trial.

Cedars-Sinai.Idiopathic intracranial hypertension.

Miah L, Strafford H, Fonferko-Shadrach B, Hollinghurst J, Sawhney IM, Hadjikoutis S, et al.Incidence, prevalence and healthcare outcomes in idiopathic intracranial hypertension: a population study[published online ahead of print, 2021 Jan 20].Neurology. 2021. doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000011463

University of Birmingham.IIH: WTT trial.

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