Chronic Headaches

What Are Chronic Headaches?

Most people have headaches from time to time. But if you have a headache more days than not, you may be experiencing chronic daily headaches. The incessant nature of chronic daily headaches makes them among the most disabling headaches.

The constant pain of chronic headaches can cause you to withdraw from everyday life. When you’re suffering most days during the month over several months, you can’t wait any longer. Seek the best chronic headache treatment from Dr. Amr Hosny at the Advanced Headache Center. With eight offices across Midtown Manhattan and northern New Jersey, you can find chronic headache treatment options near you. Stop the pain today. Call the Advanced Headache Center for a consultation.

Can My Headaches Become Chronic?

If your headaches strike more often than 15 days in a month, you’re probably suffering from chronic headaches. About 39 million Americans suffer from this form of headache. Women are three to five times likely to suffer from chronic headaches than men, although there are other risk factors as well.

Getting the right diagnosis is the all-important first step toward the best chronic headache treatment. Since there are many types of headaches and they may have overlapping symptoms, you’re best served to consult with a headache specialist. At the Advanced Headache Center — conveniently located in New York City and across Bergen County, New Jersey — Dr. Amr Hosny specializes in headache relief. Harvard-trained and board-certified, he creates the best chronic headache treatment plans for your condition for fast and effective relief.

What Causes Chronic Headaches?

Most chronic headaches are considered primary headaches. These types of headaches don’t usually have any underlying cause. Secondary headaches — like spinal headaches, trigeminal neuralgia, post-concussion headaches, and thunderclap headaches — are just symptoms of a different medical problem.

Chronic headaches can start for a number of reasons. While it’s possible your chronic headaches are due to a medical problem like meningitis, the most common causes for chronic headaches include:

• Anxiety and stress
• Obesity
• Snoring
• Sleeping disorders, such as insomnia, restless sleep, or insufficient sleep
• Drinking too many caffeinated drinks or drinking them too close to bedtime
• A hereditary history of headaches
• Previous history of getting migraines

What Are the Symptoms of Chronic Headaches?

Chronic headaches mean near-constant pain. If you have chronic headaches, you’ve had to deal with the pain for three to six excruciating months. Each episode can last more than four hours at a stretch. The symptoms usually vary in accordance with the type of chronic headache you have.

Dr. Hosny takes account of all your symptoms and may run some diagnostic tests, to correctly diagnose your condition. Diagnosis is the necessary first step toward treatment. The types of chronic headaches that can afflict you include:

• Chronic migraines. These headaches affect one side or both sides of your head. Migraines cause throbbing pain that’s usually moderate to severe in intensity. You may also suffer accompanying problems, such as vomiting and nausea. Migraine triggers include strong tastes or odors like paint fumes or perfumes. You can also have symptoms like sound and light sensitivity.
• Chronic tension headaches. Tension headaches affect both sides of your head. The pain feels like your head is being pressed or tightened, a feeling that’s often mild to moderate.
• New daily persistent headaches. These headaches start suddenly in people without any history of headaches. The symptoms are the same as tension headaches, making diagnosis sometimes difficult.
• Hemicrania continua. This type of chronic headache affects only one side of your head, but it can redden your eye on that side. It can cause a drooping eyelid and a runny nose. Your pain is constant, however, with the intensity ranging from moderate to severe.
• Cluster headaches. These headaches are severe enough to wake you up from your sleep. The pain is situated around one side of your head, around your eye. It can last for weeks to months, followed by pain-free periods. You may also suffer from a runny nose, redness in one eye, sweating, pale skin, swelling and a drooping eyelid.
• Cervicogenic headaches. These are often misdiagnosed as tension headaches or migraines. The pain develops in your neck, but you usually feel it on one side of your face and head. The condition can stem from a neck injury, infection, high blood pressure or another cervical spine issue.

Is There a Cure for Chronic Headaches?

At the Advanced Headache Center in NYC and Bergen County, NJ, your headache specialist customizes a chronic headache treatment plan according to your needs. As chronic headaches are an escalation of mild headaches, the first step is to develop preventive strategies. These may include home remedies, such as doing yoga, getting massages, weaning off pain medication, sleeping more, and not skipping meals. Dr. Hosny may also suggest options that include:

• Acupuncture
• Biofeedback
• Botox injections
• Chiropractic care
• Intravenous infusions
• An occipital nerve block
• Physical therapy
• Trigger point injections
• Rational polypharmacy to manage your painkiller usage

Your first step toward a pain-free life and return to your normal routines is a visit with Dr. Hosny at the Advanced Headache Center nearest you. After an accurate diagnosis, you can begin to get immediate chronic headache treatment that’s appropriate for you. Dr. Hosny offers the best chronic headache treatment options because he has access to the latest medical equipment. Contact the practice today.