Military Sexual Trauma is Linked to Chronic Migraines Among US Veterans

Key Takeaways:

• In a study evaluating post-9/11 US veterans, 21.7% screened positive for military sexual trauma and experienced chronic migraines.
• Military sexual trauma increased the likelihood of migraines among veterans, and these patients had more opioid prescriptions than veterans with migraines and negative screenings.
• Utilization of primary and emergency department care was higher among veterans with both positive screenings and migraines than veterans with migraines and negative screenings.

Military sexual trauma is associated with psychiatric diseases, substance abuse, and chronic pain conditions, including headaches.

Researchers analyzed data from the Women Veterans Cohort Study, which included post-9/11 US veterans enrolled in Veterans Health Administration care to observe the connection between military sexual trauma and chronic headaches.

A total of 846 435 veterans were screened for military sexual trauma. In this sample, 4.4% of veterans had a positive screen, and 9.5% suffered from migraines.

Approximately 21.7% of veterans had both positive screenings and migraines. These veterans tended to be a racial minority (45.3%) and less than 33 years old (55%).

Veterans with positive screenings were more likely to experience migraines. Patients with both were more likely to be prescribed opioids than patients with migraines and negative screenings, 36.1% and 33.4%, respectively.

Veterans with positive screenings and migraines had increased rates of comorbidities, treatments, and health care utilization within primary care and emergency department care.

The authors noted, “Veterans with a positive [military sexual trauma] screen constitute a vulnerable population more likely to have migraine, take opioid medications, and use emergency departments for migraine care.”

Reference

Ney J, Fenton B, Grinberg AS, et al. Association of military sexual trauma with migraine and migraine-related health care utilization among post-9/11 US veterans. Neurol Clin Pract. 2026;16(3):e200618. doi:10.1212/CPJ.0000000000200618