CHRONIC HEADACHES

Course overview

CHRONIC HEADACHE IS NOT A SINGLE DISEASE ENTITY BUT AN UMBRELLA TERM THAT ENCOMPASSES ALL CHRONIC HEADACHES. THE INTERNATIONAL HEADACHE SOCIETY DEFINES CHRONIC DAILY HEADACHES (CDH) AS "15 OR MORE HEADACHE EPISODES PER MONTH FOR AT LEAST THREE MONTHS." A CHRONIC DAILY HEADACHE CAN BE DIVIDED INTO PRIMARY AND SECONDARY HEADACHE DISORDERS DEPENDING UPON ITS ETIOLOGY. PRIMARY CHRONIC HEADACHE DISORDERS DO NOT HAVE SECONDARY ORGANIC ETIOLOGY. WITHIN THE PRIMARY HEADACHE CATEGORIES, A HEADACHE DURATION OF FEWER THAN 4 HOURS IS LABELED AS A 'SHORT HEADACHE .' MORE THAN 4 HOURS IS KNOWN AS A 'LONG HEADACHE.' LONG HEADACHES MORE COMMONLY INCLUDE CHRONIC MIGRAINE AND CHRONIC TENSION HEADACHES. THERE ARE A VARIETY OF CAUSES AND WAYS TO MANAGE THIS CONDITION. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND TREATMENT OF CHRONIC HEADACHES AND EXPLAINS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING, TREATING, MANAGING, AND IMPROVING CARE FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.