Nurse Brittni Talks About Post Traumatic Headaches
What Are Post Traumatic Headaches And How Can You Spot Them?
The most common complaint following a traumatic head injury are frequent headaches. Post Traumatic Headaches must follow a brain injury and develop within 7 days of the injury or 7 days after regaining consciousness. PTH will often resemble a migraine or tension-type headache and can include symptoms such as mild to severe pain, nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light or sound, and aggravated by activity.
Many people also suffer from other symptoms such as dizziness, lack of concentration, difficulties with balance, increased irritability, depression, sleep problems, and overall decrease in daily functions. Several studies suggest that for many people, symptoms tend to resolve within 3 months of the accident. When the symptoms last longer than 3 months, this is considered Persistent Post-Traumatic Headache (or PPTH). Those who are female or have a family history of migraine are more likely to develop PPTH following a brain injury.
While it is unclear the true cause of PTH, as with many chronic conditions, it is thought to be a result of the release of certain chemicals and/or swelling or shrinking of the brain structures after head injury.
How Can You Treat Post Traumatic Headaches?
There’s a variety of different treatments currently being used to treat Post-Traumatic Headache. Common migraine medications used are anti-inflammatories, triptans, beta blockers, antidepressants, and anticonvulsants. Migraine preventatives should be considered if the headache persists to avoid medication overuse headache which occurs from the overuse of pain medications. Additionally, other forms of treatment might include biofeedback, relaxation training, and cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). Education and psychological support is a crucial component to treatment as many times psychological problems can trigger headaches in individuals diagnosed with PTH.
What Is Clinvest’s Role?
Clinvest knows how challenging and frustrating head pain can be. With conditions such as Persistent Post-Traumatic Headaches, we have a strong commitment to further treatment and research, as the current treatment options are limited. Here at Clinvest we partner with pharmaceutical companies in effort to find more solutions for such debilitating conditions and look forward to the new horizons in health and well-being.
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