I Suffer From Chronic Daily Headache

Chronic Daily Headache: Constant Headache Treatment

According to the International Headache Society, constant headache symptoms (Chronic Daily Headache) affects approximately 4.1% of the population. Those suffering from this condition, either through constant or ‘almost daily headaches’, report suffering these symptoms at least 15 days per month.

At Brisbane Headache and Migraine Clinic, we see countless amounts of patients with Chronic Daily Headaches. Once treatment commences, you should expect a significant improvement to occur rapidly in 90% of our patients with Chronic Daily Headache. We expect to observe this within the first 5 treatment consultations.

The best part about the treatment is being medication-free, surgery-free and invasive-free.

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Understanding Your Symptoms

What are the symptoms of Chronic Daily Headache?

Of all headache and migraine sufferers, this condition affects anywhere between 30-80% of the Brisbane population. The average headache duration lasts for a minimum of 4 hours per day. It is known to be disabling due to the persistent nature of the ongoing pain and symptoms being felt on a daily basis.

People with constant headaches experience extreme difficulty concentrating and carrying out everyday tasks.

Types of Chronic Daily Headache

Important to note, is that these constant headaches must occur for 15 days or more every month, over at least a three month period to be considered as Chronic Daily Headaches.
There are four common types. These include:

Chronic Tension-Type Headache
New Daily Persistent Headache
Chronic Migraine
Hemicrania Continua

Read the full information about the Chronic Daily Headache Types

Understanding Your Headache

What is the cause of a Constant Headache?

Through current research, constant headache or Chronic Daily Headache is a result of a problematic upper cervical spine, which is the upper neck region. Those with this condition have been found to have the upper 3 cervical spine to be affected resulting in a sensetised brainstem as well as an up-regulated Trigemino-cervical nucleus (TCN). As a result, the sensitivity of the brainstem and TCN is now heightened which results in pain being transmitted into the head via the trigeminal nerve. This referral pain is then perceived by patients as chronic daily headaches.

Organise Your Initial Assessment

About The Assessment Stage

What To Expect During The Assessment

1. Comprehensive and in-depth examination

We instigate an in-depth assessment to identify all possible related factors that could be causing your headaches or migraines. The upper cervical spine, in particular, is thoroughly examined to identify possible issues.

2. Ligamental stability and vertebral arterial tests

We undertake careful examination of neck ligaments and vertebral arteries, ensuring only the highest standards of patient safety and comfort.

3. Temporarily reproduce your headache and migraine symptoms

As a part of the treatment process, we apply gentle and selective stress to the upper cervical spine in order to reproduce headache symptoms, which subside after 20-30 seconds. This helps to identify and treat the cause of your headaches.

More about Chronic Daily Headache Types

Chronic Tension Type Headache

Chronic tension type headache is classified as headache pain being bilaterally on both sides of the head, where the pain is usually symmetrical and equal from left to right.

Compared to migraines, chronic tension type headache causes mild to moderate pain, and feels more of a tightening and pressing sensation rather than a pulsating pain.

New Daily Persistent Headache

New daily persistent headaches usually occur to those with no history of headaches. These headaches come on abruptly and suddenly. The pain usually becomes constant within the first three days from the commencement of the first headache.

Symptoms are similar to chronic daily tension headache, having pain bilaterally to both sides of the head. The quality of the pain is usually of a pressing and tightening sensation as opposed to a pulsating sensation. The pain is usually mild to moderate.

Chronic Migraine

Chronic migraine usually occurs to those who suffer from a history of episodic migraines. Usually, their migraines have been left untreated, or have worsened over time and have now become chronic in nature.

The pain is usually unilaterally on one side of the head, however, can switch from left to right during the same attack or during different attacks. The pain is usually felt as a throbbing and pulsating sensation and is usually moderate to severe in nature.

Hemicrania Continua

Hemicrania continua is usually a more severe headache that typically affects one side of the head. The headache does not shift from side to side, and is usually locked on one side unilaterally.

This headache is present all the time with no pain-free periods. The pain is usually moderate in nature, however tends to have severe spikes of pain throughout the day.

People who suffer from this headache may also experience autonomic features such as a watery eye, swollen or droopy eyelids, redness in the eye, blocked or runny nose. Migraine-like symptoms can also occur such as sensitivity to light, sound or smell, nausea and vomiting.
I’ve tried everything already. What can be done to help my Chronic Daily Headache?

How Do I Know If I Have a Chronic Tension-Type Headache?

(Attacks fulfilling criteria A-G)

Frequency	At least 3 months or more with headaches. Each month has at least 15 days or more of attacks
B. Duration	Lasting hours to days, or unremitting
C. Location of pain	Bilateral
D. Quality of pain	Pressing or tightening pain. Not pulsating
E. Severity of pain	Mild or moderate intensity
F. Symptoms	Includes both of the following: – No more than one of the following: * Photophobia * Phonophobia * Mild nausea – Neither moderate or severe nausea nor vomiting
G. Other characteristics	Not aggravated by physical routine, such as walking or climbing stairs

I’ve tried everything already. What can be done to help my Chronic Daily Headache?

Treating your Chronic Daily Headache

A lot of our patients say they have tried everything to treat their constant headache symptoms. A common issue our patients have found is they still don’t know what the cause of their chronic daily headache is, despite seeing multiple health practitioners. At the Brisbane Headache and Migraine Clinic™, we see countless amounts of patients with Chronic Daily Headaches and utilise world-class techniques in assessing and treating this problem.

A thorough examination of the upper cervical spine is initiated to determine the severity of your sensitised brainstem. An important factor that a chronic daily headache sufferer would need to establish and rule out, is whether or not their symptoms are resulting from a hypersensitive brainstem.

If your symptoms are coming from a sensitised brainstem, treatment can begin immediately and you should expect a significant improvement to occur rapidly, as is with 90% of our Chronic Daily headache patients. We expect to observe this within the first 5 treatment consultations. We have treated a countless number of patients with Chronic Daily Headaches with significant results.

The best part about our constant headache treatment is being medication-free, surgery-free and invasive-free.