Migraines in Older Adults: Everything You Need to Know

TribecaCare
26th May 2025

The Basics of Migraine in Older Adults

When it comes to the matter of migraines, they are more than just headaches. They’re devitalizing neurological situations that can impact billions of individuals worldwide. Contrary to popular belief, migraines can also strike seniors, but in a different manner. “Migraine is an evolving, and sometimes lifelong, disorder. The prevalence of episodic migraine peaks among individuals aged in their late 30s, implying a tendency for the disorder to remit with increasing age thereafter, whereas chronic migraine is more likely to persist into later life. Diagnosis and treatment of migraine in older adults, defined as individuals aged 60 years or older, is rendered more complex by increasing probabilities of atypical clinical features and comorbidities.”

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(23)00206-5/abstract

Reputed companies like Tribeca Eldercare, Kolkata’s largest eldercare service provider will help you with home healthcare for nursing and doctor home visits to manage migraine in the most efficient way.

Learn more from our blog, curated from the most reliable medical sources to make you aware about migraine in older adults: its causes and symptoms.

The Symptoms of Migraines in Older Adults

Although the significant symptoms of migraines persist across age groups, senior adults may face additional challenges due to other age-related or health conditions. The Common symptoms of migraines in older adults include the following.

Vomiting and Nausea
Extreme “throbbing headache that throbs in time with the contraction of blood vessels.” This headache can last for hours, even a day
Cognitive difficulties like memory problems or confusion
Growing severity when leaning down, bending over, walking, or ascending stairs
Sensitivity to sound, smell, and light
Visual disturbances include “distortion, the appearance of floaters, flashing, and excessive brightness”
Pain on one side of the head
Migraines, if not properly diagnosed and treated, will worsen over 4–72 hours

https://www.samitivejhospitals.com/article/detail/elderly-migraines-symptoms-treatment-prevention

The Major Causes of Migraine in Older Adults

“People in their 60s or older who have new-onset headache symptoms or significant changes in existing headache symptoms should see a healthcare provider immediately.” Here are some common causes that can lead seniors to experience severe headaches, also known as migraines.

1. Age-Related Alterations in the Brain: With growing age, functional and structural alterations occur in the brain. Those changes include how the brain functions, how blood flows, and how it conveys messages. The alterations can make older adults more likely to have migraine attacks. Also, the brains of older adults can become less effective and flexible at managing the pain and triggers associated with migraine.

2. Hormonal Fluctuations: Though hormonal fluctuations are deeply related to migraine in younger adults, they can continue as both women and men grow older. Alterations in progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone levels can worsen or trigger migraines in seniors. Andropause in men and menopause in women can cause significant hormonal changes that may lead to severe and frequent migraines.

3. Vascular and Cardiovascular Diseases: We are all aware that seniors often experience age-related changes in the vascular system. Heart ailments, arterial stiffness, and changes in the structure and function of blood vessels are some common conditions among them. These changes can affect the blood flow to the head and make seniors likely to have migraine attacks. Some cardiovascular problems, like ischemic heart ailments, atherosclerosis, and hypertension, can also contribute to migraines.

4. Side Effects of Medications: Older adults are often prescribed multiple medications to manage their chronic health conditions. This can increase the risk of medicine-induced migraines as side effects. Medications like calcium channel blockers, vasodilators, and nitroglycerin can trigger exacerbating migraines. Taking several drugs and drug interactions can make migraine management tougher for seniors. Hence, taking effective home nursing services is necessary to manage migraine in older adults.

5. Lifestyle and Environmental Aspects: As we age, age-related changes in lifestyle habits are common. Changes in physical activity levels, eating habits, sleep patterns, and stress management strategies can impact migraine occurrence and intensity in older adults. Environmental factors, such as noise pollution, bright lights, strong odors, and weather changes, can serve as triggers for older adults.

https://www.migrainedisorders.org/migraine-in-older-adults/

https://www.elitecarehc.com/blog/a-comprehensive-guide-to-migraines-in-older-adults/

The Bottom Lines

“As the population ages, migraine in older adults will become a more significant public health issue. Migraine in older adults can present with different clinical symptoms than in a younger population and are primarily a diagnosis of exclusion in older adults. Migraine treatment considerations for older adults should include comorbidities and medication interactions. Recent findings suggest some medications should be avoided when treating seniors with migraine.”

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9007780/