Headaches May Be More Frequent Among Weight Loss Surgery Patients

Gastric bypass surgery or banding surgery can be sued as a last resort in obese individuals looking to shed weight and change their overall dietary habits. Yet recent findings show that besides a risky surgery, there is also an increased risk of chronic headaches among some who go through the process. 

For the study, researchers examined 338 people with spontaneous intracranial hypotension and 245 healthy people with unruptured intracranial aneurysms.

Findings showed that 3.3 percent of those with spontaneous intracranial hypotension also had previously undergone a bariatric procedure, compared to 0.8 percent of healthy control participants.

"It's important for people who have had bariatric surgery and their doctors to be aware of this possible link, which has not been reported before," said study author Dr. Wouter I. Schievink, MD, of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, in a news release. "This could be the cause of sudden, severe headaches that can be treated effectively, but there can be serious consequences if misdiagnosed."

However, researchers concluded that more studies are needed in order to confirm any relationship between body weight and spinal pressure.

More information regarding the findings can be seen via the journal Neurology.