Chronic Daily Headache

Your Path

  • Chronic daily headache

Etiology

  • Often represents transformation of a primary headache syndrome→ typically migraine or tension type
  • Also associated w/overuse of medications (e.g. NSAIDs, barbiturates, narcotics, other) for treatment of acute headache
  • Can also be a primary chronic HA disorder (i.e. not transformed or related to medication overuse)

Risk Factors

  • Obesity
  • Caffeine use
  • Overuse of headache medications

Symptoms

  • Headache 15d/m for 3m
  • If related to transformation of primary HA, maintains some of characteristics of original HA (e.g. migraine), though not as severe
  • Can also have "mixed" features (e.g. sx of both tension and migraine)
  • Chronic daily HA are characterized as short (< 4h) or long (>4h) duration