Have you ever experienced a migraine? You would know. The symptoms include pulsating pain, blurred vision, light sensitivity, and nausea.

12% of the American population experiences those symptoms. That’s 36 million people. What many of those people don’t realize is that their migraine symptoms could be a result of Celiac Disease.

Neurologists at the Neurological Institute at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City have discovered an important update in the health world recently.

After surveying more than 700 people using a four-page questionnaire, Neurology resident Alexandra Dimitrova and her colleagues found that people suffering from Celiac Disease or other bowel issues are more likely to be plagued by migraines.

The survey detailed each person’s medical history, including lifestyle details and whether they had ever been diagnosed with Celiac or inflammatory bowel disease.

After eliminating those with tumors or head trauma, the group analyzed 502 individuals. “The yearlong study found that 188 people had celiac disease, 111 had inflammatory bowel disease and 25 were gluten-sensitive — meaning they had not tested positive for celiac disease but reported symptoms when they ate foods with wheat. The other 178 healthy individuals served as the control group.”

For more information, make sure to read WMBF News’ report from May 4.