Headache is said to be chronic if you have a headache for more than four hours on more than 15 days per month. Some people experience these headaches for a period of six months or longer. Headaches that can occur on daily or nearly daily basis include;
- Hemicrania continua
- Idiopathic intracranial hypotension
- Cluster
- Migraine
- Tension type
- Mixture of types ( commonly tension and migraine)
Causes of chronic headaches
Many possible reasons can contribute to chronic daily headaches which include;
- Head injury
- A previous history of migraine
- Overuse of painkilling medications (see medication-overuse headache)
- Obesity
- Stressful life events
- Being female
Types of chronic headache pain treatments:
So many options are available for chronic headache treatments and they all are depending on the diagnosis and type of headache you are suffering from.
Anti-seizure medications also known as anticonvulsants or antiseizure drugs are diverse group of pharmacological agents acts as mood stabilizers. Some of them are used as chronic headache treatment as they seem to prevent migraines and might be used to prevent chronic daily headaches, as well. Options include divalproex sodium (Depakote), gabapentin (Neurontin, Gralise), and topiramate (Topamax, Qudexy XR, and others)
NSAIDs some nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like naproxen sodium might be helpful, especially if you’re withdrawing from other pain relievers. They can also be used periodically when the headache is more severe.
Beta blockers such drugs are commonly used to treat high blood pressure. They are used as chronic headache treatment option when it comes to prevent episodic migraines. These include atenolol, metoprolol and propranolol.
Antidepressants such as nortriptyline like Pamelor can be used to treat chronic headaches. These medications can also help to treat the depression, anxiety and sleep disturbances that often accompany chronic daily headaches.
Some other antidepressants such as the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) fluoxetine might help in treating depression and anxiety, but these medicines not been shown to be more effective than placebo for headaches.
Botulinum toxin botox injections provide relief for some people and might be a viable option for people who don’t tolerate daily medication much well. Botox would most likely to be considered if the headaches have features of chronic migraines.
Some other alternatives of chronic headache treatments are;
Massage can promote relaxation and can reduce stress and relieve pain. It might be particularly helpful if you have tight muscles in the back of your head, neck and shoulders.
Electrical stimulation of the occipital nerve a small battery is surgically implanted near the occipital nerve at the base of your neck which sends continuous energy pulses to the nerve to ease pain.
Herbs some evidence suggest that the herbs feverfew and butterbur help prevent migraines or reduce their severity.
Pain management institute is helping people to cure acute and chronic long term pain to resume a normal life style. PMI has provided many treatments like stem cell therapy and many others.
For more details call on 815.412.6166