Chronic Migraine Headaches

According to National Headache Foundation (NHF), migraine headaches affect twenty-eight million American of which seventy percent are women. Every year, they lose one hundred and fifty-seven million of work days. Most of their migraines progress to chronic migraine headaches.

Chronic migraine headache is a form of chronic daily headache. This disabling headache disorder is prevalent among women. Unlike episodic migraine headache which occurs once a week or a month, the pain persists for at least fifteen days in a month. The causes are unknown but some suggests that it could be due to the changes in some pain controlling sections of the brain. You cannot get chronic migraine headaches by taking too much of pain medications.

During the attack of chronic migraine headache, it restricts your normal activities. You cannot function as a normal person.

As for now, there is no treatment yet. Among the drugs used is Imitrex. One of the problems with Imitrex is over-dependence or overuse. Doctors instruct you to take Imitrex only when the first sign of migraine appears. Once it becomes a full-blown migraine, nothing can help you. Most people assume all headaches are migraines. Because of the fear of migraine, you tend to take Imitrex immediately at the first sign of headache even though it's not migraine. So, each time you've headache, you will take Imitrex for immediate relief. By pursuing this course, you're treating the wrong headache. You may use Imitrex twenty times in a month just to treat the fear of migraine. It can also cause rebound headaches the moment Imitrex wears off especially you take it every day. Frequent use of Imitrex is a question of risk.

Botox (botulinun toxin Type A), a prescribed nerve blocker is widely used to ease facial wrinkles in cosmetic surgeries. Studies showed that Botox can prevent chronic migraine headaches. To block the pain, the doctor injects a very small amount of highly purified Botox into the affected area of the brain. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved Botox for chronic migraine treatment. Botox is still under clinical trial for now.

When your daily chronic headache doesn't respond to available treatment, you can consider an alternative remedy such as Occipital Nerve Stimulation for Treatment of Intractable Migraine (ONSTIM). This method is under preliminary study . It involves a Medtronic Synergy Neurostimulation device. This device sends electronic impulses through insulated lead wire buried beneath the skin near the occipital nerves at the base of the head. Currently, FDA has not approved this devise for treating chronic migraines.

Consult with your doctors first for any new treatment. Some may not be approved by FDA and may result in unknown side effects if you pursue it.