Migraine and COVID-19 Vaccines

3 min read

People with chronic illnesses such as migraine disease want to know how COVID-19 vaccines may affect them. Many have questions about the shots’ safety and side effects. The following answers are based on what is known to date.

Can people with migraine get a COVID-19 vaccine?

People with migraine can get a COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccines made by Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, and Pfizer are offered at clinics and other sites throughout the United States. More vaccines, such as the one made by AstraZeneca, also exist in some other countries.^1-3

Up to now, no studies have focused on exactly how these vaccines affect people with migraine.³ But materials published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state that “COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective.” The CDC urges all people age 12 and above to be immunized for COVID-19.¹

What are the benefits of the COVID-19 vaccines?

The COVID-19 vaccines cannot give people COVID-19, but they can protect people from the various strains of the coronavirus that cause COVID-19. The vaccines shield people from catching COVID-19 and from the known risks of this disease. For some, COVID-19 can lead to extreme sickness, infirmity, ongoing symptoms, and even death.^1,2

The vaccines help people build immunity to the coronavirus. This happens within 2 weeks of getting the last dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine consists of 1 dose, while the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines consist of 2 doses each.^1,2

People who receive all the needed doses of a COVID-19 vaccine can begin to resume some things they did prior to the pandemic. This includes spending time outdoors without a mask. They can still wear masks, stay apart from others, and wash hands to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.^1,2

What side effects are common with COVID-19 vaccines?

COVID-19 vaccines tend to bring on minor side effects. These include chills, fever, and lack of energy. Pain in the head, joints, and muscles, as well as where the shot was given, is also common. For the most part, these symptoms last only a couple of days.^1,2

Headaches are indeed a side effect of concern for people with migraine. The rate of headaches reported with each COVID-19 vaccine may, in fact, steer others with migraine away from or toward a certain vaccine. A greater percent (60%) of people who got the Moderna vaccine had headaches as a side effect. This compares to 40 percent for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and 38 percent for the Pfizer vaccine.²

Are people with migraine having reactions to the COVID-19 vaccines?

A growing number of personal accounts point to COVID-19 perhaps having an impact on people with migraine. Members of the Health Union’s migraine community have shared their stories on Migraine.com. Some wrote about having more intense and lasting migraines after getting a COVID-19 vaccine. Some also noted other symptoms such as confusion, dizziness, loss of balance, numbness, and vision problems.

It is not yet clear if the symptoms listed above are vaccine reactions. People with migraine who have been infected with COVID-19 have also reported some of these symptoms. Some have described their headaches after having COVID-19 as more constant, painful, and unyielding to treatment.²

How does the COVID-19 vaccine affect migraine treatment and vice versa?

Based on the current data, the COVID-19 vaccines do not impact migraine treatment much at all. The CDC suggests not using acetaminophen, aspirin, ibuprofen, and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) 2 weeks before getting a COVID-19 vaccine. This stems from a concern that these drugs could lessen the effect of the vaccine. But these drugs can be used again starting a day after getting the vaccine. They may help ease common side effects.^1-3

No study results point to a need for changes in other migraine treatments due to the COVID-19 vaccines. Experts in headache care and vaccine research studied injections of Botox^® (onabotulinumtoxinA) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) pathway monoclonal antibodies. These drugs can be taken in addition to acetaminophen and NSAIDs. They found that these migraine treatments have not been shown to lessen the effects of the COVID-19 vaccine and vice versa.^2,3

Some people advise getting the COVID-19 vaccine injection in the arm you do not use for migraine treatment injections. This way, if you have an adverse reaction at the injection site, you will know which drug caused it.³

Talk to your doctor if your migraine symptoms after a COVID-19 vaccine differ from what is normal for you. They can assess you and order tests as needed to help sort out the cause of your symptoms. They can also advise on the best treatment options for you.

Join the conversation

Please read our rules before commenting.

thewanderingjew Member
After the vaccine, I experienced a huge uptick in migraines, especially with aura, not too much pain. Has anyone else noticed a change since they got the vaccine? I am concerned about getting the booster because in the last ten days I had 7 attacks, two in one day.. Has anyone else experienced this? Why hasn't this been studied? 
1. lynettefrisan Member
 <inline-mention username="Cheryl Picerno" user-id="3673232"/> I started puking before my shot was completed. The dr an nurse where shocked. I was not going to get Vacinne (personal an concerned) my mom is so sick she begged me to do this. I came home so sick. An brain pain by that night I could barely breathe. My daughter came the next morning (nurse n brain painer). 3 days later she checked on me an rushed me to hospital massive headache, she thought heart attack. Hospital admitted me as having stroke. It was the most horrific experience of my life. 12 hours later half the pain an a bishop holding my hand, the dr comes in an said he was at a loss…I said do you think my Moderna shot have caused all this. They did another ct scan on that comment an I may or may not now own a tiny aneurysm on outside skull. So in my world 2years down the road I regret everyday for getting the shot. But I do say 1 vaccine, an a few years of Botox covid is affraid of me. 
2. Cheryl Picerno Moderator
 <inline-mention username="lynettefrisan" user-id="3664523"/> What a scary experience! I'm sorry you had to go through that. I've never received the Covid vaccines. These vaccines were created so quickly and with very little knowledge of what side effects they may cause people. I've had Covid once, and my husband has had it twice. Our experience with Covid has been very mild cases that were no worse than having allergy issues. Your initial reaction to the vaccine was certainly foreboding. Are the doctors monitoring your aneurysm to make sure it is stable? I feel if we keep our immune system and gut microbiome in good shape, our bodies will fight off viruses and infections as they were designed to do. I'm happy to hear Covid fears you, lol! Warmly, Cheryl <a href='https://migraine.com' target='_blank'>migraine.com</a> team
thewanderingjew Member
Thank you, in today's political climate, I have been dealing with ridicule and comments like, I don't know anyone else who has had side effects. It is nice to know I am not alone. I have the migraines so much more frequently with lots of ancillary symptoms that I never had before. My doctors all pooh, pooh it and say it will go away. They should really be reporting it. It feels like being in a restaurant when the manager says you are the only one whoever found a bone in the fish!
1. Cheryl Picerno Moderator
 <inline-mention username="thewanderingjew" user-id="3749209"/> It is always discouraging when your doctor don't take what we experience seriously. At any rate they should at least be documenting your symptoms as part of your medical history during the appointment. I understand it is, at times, like you are swimming up stream and your experiences just don't seem to matter to people. I would make sure that your doctors document your new ancillary symptoms and I hope they will see fit to take them seriously. Warmly, Cheryl <a href='https://migraine.com' target='_blank'>migraine.com</a> team