Most people have headaches from time to time. But if you have a headache more days than not, you may be experiencing a variety of head pain known as chronic daily headaches.
The incessant nature of chronic daily headaches makes them among the most disabling headaches. Aggressive initial treatment and steady, long-term management may reduce pain and lead to fewer chronic daily headaches.
Chronic daily headaches are classified by how long they last — more than four hours or less than four hours. The longer lasting headaches are more common and addressed here. They're divided into four types:
Chronic migraine
Chronic tension-type headache
New daily persistent headache
Hemicrania continua
Chronic migraine
These headaches evolve from episodic migraine without aura. To be diagnosed with chronic migraine, you must have headaches — migraine, tension-type or both — 15 days or more a month, for at least three months. In addition, on eight or more days a month for at least three months, you must experience the following symptoms.
Your headaches have at least two of the following characteristics:
Affect only one side of your head
Cause a pulsating, throbbing sensation
Cause moderate to severe pain
Are aggravated by routine physical activity
And they cause at least one of the following:
Nausea, vomiting or both
Sensitivity to light and sound
Alternatively, if your headaches respond to triptan medications or ergot medications taken in anticipation of these symptoms — on eight or more days a month, for at least three months — they're also considered chronic migraines.
Chronic tension-type headache
These headaches evolve from episodic tension-type headaches. They may last hours or be constant.
Chronic tension-type headaches have at least two of the following characteristics:
Hurt on both sides of your head
Cause mild to moderate pain
Cause pain that feels pressing or tightening, but not pulsating
Aren't aggravated by routine physical activity
In addition, they cause no more than one of the following:
Sensitivity to light or sound
Nausea (mild only)
New daily persistent headache
These headaches become constant within a few days of the moment you have your first headache.
New daily persistent headaches have at least two of the following characteristics:
Hurt on both sides of your head
Cause pain that feels like pressing or tightening, but not pulsating
Cause mild to moderate pain
Aren't aggravated by routine physical activity
In addition, they cause no more than one of the following:
Sensitivity to light or sound
Nausea (mild only)
Hemicrania continua
These headaches cause pain on only one side of your head that doesn't shift sides. They also:
Are daily and continuous with no pain-free periods
Cause moderate pain but with spikes of severe pain
Respond to the prescription pain reliever indomethacin (Indocin)
May sometimes become severe with development of migraine-like symptoms
In addition, hemicrania continua headaches cause at least one of the following:
Tearing or redness of the eye on the affected side
Nasal congestion or runny nose
Drooping of the eyelid or constriction of the pupil
When to see a doctor
Occasional headaches are common. But it's important to take headaches seriously. Consult your doctor if:
You usually have two or more headaches a week.
You take a pain reliever for your headaches every day or almost every day.
You need more than the recommended dose of over-the-counter pain remedies to relieve your headaches.
Your headache pattern changes.
Your headaches are getting worse.
Seek prompt medical care if your headache:
Is sudden and severe
Accompanies a fever, stiff neck, confusion, seizure, double vision, weakness, numbness or difficulty speaking
Follows a head injury
Gets worse despite rest and pain medication
Got this from
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/chronic-daily-headaches/DS00646/DSECTION=symptoms
Hope it helps