Headache & Migraine

Daily chronic headaches represent a group of primary and secondary headache disorders that remain poorly understood and are often inappropriately managed. They are generally considered to consist of headaches that occur 15 or more days per month, for four or more hours per day, for at least six months. It affects an estimated four to five percent of the general population.

Migraine is an episodic disabling headache and affects 12 percent of the American adult population. It is thought to be an inherited disorder; most migraine patients have a family history of migraine. Women are three times more likely to have migraines than men; hormonal issues are thought to be the reason.

A migraine is an intense, throbbing headache that may be accompanied by nausea or dizziness. A migraine can last from hours to days.

A primary headache is caused by dysfunction or overactivity of pain-sensitive features in the head, and isn’t a symptom of an underlying disease. Chemical activity in the brain, the nerves or blood vessels of your head outside the skull, or muscles of the head and neck — or some combination of these factors — may play a role in primary headaches. Some people may carry genes that make them more likely to develop such headaches.

A secondary headache is a symptom of a disease that can activate the pain-sensitive nerves of the head. Any number of conditions — varying greatly in severity — may cause secondary headaches.

Tension-type headache is a nonspecific headache, which is not vascular or migrainous, and is not related to organic disease. The most common form of headache, it may be related to muscle tightening in the back of the neck and/or scalp. There are two general classifications of tension-type headache: episodic and chronic, differentiated by frequency and severity of symptoms. Both are characterized as dull, aching and non-pulsating pain and affect both sides of the head.

Medication-overuse headaches (MOH) can occur when pain relief medication, such as Analgesics – particularly butalbital, opioids, acetaminophen, aspirin, and ergotamine tartrate (Ergomar) – are taken frequently by an individual to relieve headaches. Some headache specialists believe the combination of analgesics is especially likely to cause headaches.

Medication-overuse headaches typically occur in patients who suffer from other headache disorders, such as migraines or tension headaches, and unfortunately the treatment can become the problem.

Through the excessive use of pain relievers, these headaches can transform into chronic daily headaches.