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. 2008 Sep 19;9(6):397–400. doi: 10.1007/s10194-008-0069-z

Obsessive compulsive disorder and migraine: case report, diagnosis and therapeutic approach

Luiz Paulo Bastos Vasconcelos 1, Melissa Costa Silva 1, Esther Angélica Coelho Costa 1, Ariovaldo Alberto da Silva Júnior 1, Rodrigo Santiago Gómez 1, Antônio Lúcio Teixeira 1,2,✉
PMCID: PMC3452082  PMID: 18802664

Abstract

Psychiatric disorders, notably mood and anxiety disorders, are frequently associated with migraine and chronic daily headaches. The obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is included in the spectrum of anxiety disorders and may be a comorbid condition in headache patients. However, little information has been reported in the literature about this association. This is an important issue as OCD may contribute to the development or maintenance of treatment-resistant chronic headaches. In this paper, we describe a young female patient with refractory chronic migraine and OCD. Considerations on diagnosis, management and treatment of these comorbid conditions are presented.

Keywords: Migraine, Chronic daily headache, Obsessive–compulsive disorder, Psychiatric comorbidity

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Conflict of interest

None.

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