If you have headaches everyday, you may be wondering, should I be worried? Absolutely. You may be suffering from chronic daily headaches if they happen 15 days or more in a month, and we repeat, it is not normal. What should you do next?
Four Types of Chronic Headaches
We can separate these chronic headaches into four basic types.
Migraine
Migraines can be on one side of the head or both sides. The pain can be throbbing and cause moderate to severe pain. Sometimes nausea and vomiting accompany them. During a chronic migraine, both light and sound can be debilitating.
Chronic Tension Headache
These headaches affect both sides of the head and cause mild to moderate pain. It feels more like a tightening sensation than throbbing.
New Daily Persistent Headache
This is a brand new headache that comes on suddenly and in people who have never had one before. The pain is on both sides of the head and feels more like a pressing sensation producing mild to moderate pain.
Hemicrania Continua
This is a painful and continuous headache that strikes only one side of the head. There can be episodes of severe pain which can be helped with a prescription medication from Puget Sound Neurology.
This type of headache is accompanied by one or more of the following symptoms:
- Nasal congestion and running nose
- Drooping eyelid or a narrow pupil
- Redness or tearing of the eye on the affected side
- Restlessness
When To See Puget Sound Neurology in Tacoma, WA
If you are experiencing two or more headaches per week, you should seek medical help. If you need a pain reliever most days, need more than the recommended dosage of over-the-counter medications, if your headaches are getting worse or the pattern changes, or if your headaches are becoming disabling, it’s time to see Puget Sound Neurology.
There are multiple treatments available for chronic headaches including migraine-specific medications as well as antidepressants, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), beta blockers, some anti-seizure medications, and Botox injections.
Beyond medications there are additional therapies available including behavioral therapy, biofeedback, massage, acupuncture, and lifestyle changes like avoiding triggers, getting more sleep, and avoiding smoking.
Don’t wait to get medical care if your chronic headaches are not improving. They are not normal.
Contact Puget Sound Neurology at (253) 284-4488 if you suffer with any type of chronic headaches that are affecting your quality of life.