While bariatric surgery may help solve one problem, it may cause others — namely, severe headaches, according to a new study publish online in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Study author Wouter I. Schievink, MD, of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, Calif., and colleagues sought to determine whether a link exists between gastric bypass surgery and a condition called spontaneous intracranial hypotension. This condition is often caused by a leak of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) out of the spinal canal. This leak can cause a reduction in pressure of the spinal fluid, which results in sudden headaches. Patients may also experience nausea, vomiting, neck stiffness, and cognitive difficulties.

A group of 338 study participants with spontaneous intracranial hypotension were compared to a control group of 245 individuals with unruptured intracranial aneurysms. Of the 338 patients with spontaneous intracranial hypotension, 11 of them (3.3 percent) had undergone bariatric surgery in the past, compared to 0.8 percent of those with intracranial aneurysms.

“It’s important for people who have had bariatric surgery and their doctors to be aware of this possible link, which has not been reported before. This could be the cause of sudden, severe headaches that can be treated effectively, but there can be serious consequences if misdiagnosed,” said Schievink in a statement.

More research is needed to continue to delve into the relationship between bariatric surgery and the onset of severe headaches. However, it is possible that the drastic loss of body fat can cause a patient to be more prone to spontaneous intracranial hypotension.