Chronic Migraines

Migraine pain can be debilitating. Recurring migraines can disrupt your life and make it almost impossible to function on a day-to-day basis. Migraine pain can range in severity, duration, and frequency making them difficult to diagnose and even harder to predict.

Migraine vs Chronic Migraine

Traditional migraines normally appear once or twice a month and are often caused by the blood vessels in the brain constricting and reducing blood flow to the brain. Chronic migraines, on the other hand, are much more frequent and can recur 15 or more days each month. While both types of migraines result in sharp pain, dizziness, auras, and decreased tolerance to light, chronic migraines are much more frequent and the pain tends to be constant.

While both types of headaches have similar triggers, hormone imbalances, bright lights, sleep deprivation, and strong odors are common causes that can trigger both traditional migraines and chronic migraines. With chronic migraines, the pain may not go away completely between headaches. Instead, it may reduce to a dull ache but never fully leave until it re-intensifies a day or two later.

Chronic Migraine Treatment Options

There are several treatment options for chronic migraines. While Botox injections and other medications have proven to be effective, making positive lifestyle changes that reduce exposure to known triggers has been proven to be successful in reducing the frequency of chronic migraines.

With chronic migraines, it’s extremely important that you identify what your personal triggers are. They will vary from person to person. Working hand in hand with your doctor will help you find the best treatment options for your individual symptoms.