A chronic migraine is characterized by a focused and throbbing pain that involves the whole head. A person suffering from migraine experiences daily headaches that can last for several days and months. Migraine is also called transformed migraine or chronic headaches by some. An affected person typically must have suffered at least 5 migraine attacks. These daily headaches are like the tension-type headaches and the pain is generally intense and doesn’t generally worsen because any physical activity.
Chronic Migraine is generally known to occur when migraine is not treated in its early stages and it progresses to the chronic stage. Sometimes, it is also known to happen due to overuse of medications. If you find anyone experiencing the following symptoms, seek medical help.
- High fever along with a stiff neck.
- Sudden occurrence of severe headache.
- Inability to think clearly and loss of motor functions.
- Convulsions due to head injury.
- Intense and frequent headaches.
Who’s At Risk?
Chronic migraine is more common in women. Usually, these women suffer from the problem of visual aura. Visual aura is characterized by vision of auras like floating lines, jagged shapes, flashing lights, or dark patches. The initial symptoms of migraine like nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light and sound, etc., worsens as the migraine progresses. People who have had too much or too little treatment of migraine can eventually suffer from chronic migraine. People who live a stressful life, are overweight, are at a greater risk of suffering from migraine.
Signs and Symptoms:
People suffering from chronic migraine suffer from intense headaches frequently. The normal migraine symptoms diminish and the headaches become more frequent. Initial symptoms of migraine include distortion of vision, dizziness, difficulty in concentrating, weakness, etc. In case of chronic migraine, headaches occur almost daily.
Self-Care Guidelines:
There are certain things you can do to manage the migraine pain. Firstly, you should avoid the over the counter available medications and caffeine. This is because migraine is often caused due to overuse of these medicines. Chronic migraine is caused due to the non-treatment of the initial stages of migraine. You should also change your daily habits. Sleep on time and have a sound sleep for a minimum of 8 hours, exercise regularly, perform yoga, undergo massage therapy and try relaxation techniques to relieve of the pain.
When to Seek Medical Care:
It is always better to consult your doctor immediately if you experience any symptoms of migraine. The earlier it is treated the lesser are its chance of progressing further.
Treatment of chronic migraine can take years before it is cured completely. In addition to the treatment prescribed by the doctor, you should also make necessary lifestyle changes.