If you experience a headache every day or almost every other day, chances are that you have Chronic Daily Headache (CDH). These headaches occur at least 15 days a month and can seriously affect your quality of life. Daily headache is less a ‘type’ of headache and more a ‘category’ that includes headaches of various kinds. Often the patient may have a tension-headache or a migraine as the underlying type of headache. This becomes more frequent over the months or years and takes the form of a daily headache.
Daily Headache — Ruling Out Secondary Causes
If you are facing headaches almost every day, it is important to get a medical assessment. Sometimes, daily headaches can be an indicator of a systemic illness. It is important to rule out the possibility of a more serious condition of which the daily headache may just be a symptom. Often, there is no secondary reason for the headache. Once this possibility is out of the way, the doctor might be able to successfully identify causes for the headache and reduce both, the occurrence and its effect on your life.
Daily headaches are of different types and differ in both severity and duration.
- Migraine: People who have experienced isolated migraine headaches in the past are likely to find the condition getting chronic where the headache occurs close to 15 days a month. This is generally a throbbing pain felt on one side of the head, and there may be sensitivity to light and nausea.
- Tension Headaches: A tension headache that is normally quite mild might become frequent enough to turn into a chronic condition. Usually the person feels pain on both sides of the head, though it is not severe.
- Hemicrania Continua: This type of headache causes ongoing pain without respite on one side of the head.
Treating Daily Headaches
The triggers for daily headaches could be anything from lack of sleep, to food allergies, to stress at work or home. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help to some extent in tackling the problem of daily headaches. But in case of no respite, the obvious solution is to seek medical help. Good counseling, diagnosis and treatment can bring definite long-term relief.
The New Jersey Headache Institute is a leading medical facility that specializes in treating all kinds of headaches. Our expert team of doctors offer personalized counseling and treatment options that help in tackling chronic daily headaches effectively. Put an end to your daily headache woes and call us at 908.315.5707 or use our contact form to book a consultation.
Dr. Payman Sadeghi is the co-founder of the New Jersey Headache Institute. He studied medicine at Nordestana University and finished his Internal Medicine internship and Neurology residency at the University of Texas. Dr. Sadeghi has completed an electromyography super fellowship as well as many epilepsy and neuroimaging fellowships. At his residency in Neurology at the University of Texas Medical Branch Dr. Sadeghi gained extensive experience diagnosing and treating headache and migraine patients. That residency, along with Dr. Sadeghi’s medical curiosity and his varied clinical experience, has made him a specialist in headaches and their treatment.
Dr. Sadeghi was also a clinical assistant professor during his time at the University of Texas. He is a member of the American Headache Society, the National Headache Foundation and the American Academy of Neurology. Dr. Sadeghi is fluent in English, Spanish, French and Persian.
