Generally, most of the people would not consider a headache to be a serious illness. However, if one experiences headaches fifteen days or more in a month, you could be suffering from a condition called chronic headache or chronic daily headache (CDH). It is claimed that chronic headache condition affects about 4%-5% of the general adult population.
The chronic headache condition can be classified into several sub-categories such as chronic migraine, chronic tension type, new daily persistent and hemicrania continua. Furthermore, it should be noted that each of these subtypes may display its own set of signs and symptoms while the common symptom displayed by all is the persisting pain in the areas of the head. Migraine type of chronic headaches might show symptoms that includes nausea, vomiting, light and sound sensitivity and a severe headache affecting just one side of the head with a pulsating or throbbing feeling. Individuals suffering from chronic tension type headaches may suffer from symptoms such as headaches that hurt both sides of the head and slight to moderate pain which is generally described as pressing or tightening.
New daily persistent headaches, a subtype of chronic headache condition is characterized by headaches that crop up abruptly and continues for nearly three days. The headache appears on both sided of the head and is generally described by patients to be of tightening or pressing sensation rather than throbbing. In addition to these subtypes, hemicranias continua is also categorized as a component of the chronic headache condition with symptoms that are rather more noticeable than the other subtypes. Symptoms such as daily persisting headaches that occur only on one side of the head without any sign of relief and also redness of eye near the affected area, nasal congestion and eye lid swelling are commonly displayed by individuals suffering from this type of chronic headache condition.
Upto now, a cure doesn’t exist for chronic headache conditions although certain medical and non medical treatments are available to reduce the suffering of the patients. The recommended forms of treatment for chronic headache conditions include medication such as asprin and paracetamol, acupuncture, physical therapy and relaxation training. Also, techniques like changes in the diet and psychological therapy are also being experimented as potential treatments for chronic headache conditions. According to many researches a combination of medicinal and non medicinal methods would be the most effective form of treatment.
Therefore, if one is suffering from chronic headaches it is important to seek medical help as soon as possible. Early treatment could greatly help a patient though a definite cure is yet to be found.
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