Abstract
Chronic daily headache is an important category of headache illness that affects 4% of the general population. Within this classification are four chronic headache entities: chronic migraine/transformational migraine, chronic tension-type headache, hemicrania continua, and new daily persistent headache. Chronic migraine/transformational migraine is the most common of these entities and is frequently accompanied by medication overuse, neurobehavioral comorbidity, and disability. The terminology and classification of this entity continue to be confounding. Current research is directed at identifying factors that might promote the progression of this disorder from episodic migraine to daily or almost daily headache, and at identifying the best approaches to treatment, which include both pharmacotherapeutic and non-medicinal interventions. Patients with intractable cases are often hospitalized as a consequence of the convergence of several factors that make outpatient management unlikely to succeed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References and Recommended Reading
Silberstein SD, Lipton RB, Dodick DW (editors): Wolff’s Headache and Other Pain, edn 8. New York: Oxford University Press; 2008.
Scher AL, Stewart WF, Liberman J, Lipton RB: Prevalence of frequent headache in a population sample. Headache 1998, 38:497–506.
Wang SJ, Fuh JL, Lu SR, et al.: Chronic daily headache in Chinese elderly: prevalence, risk factors, and biannual follow-up. Neurology 2000, 54:314–319.
Headache Classification Subcommittee of the International Headache Society: The International Classification of Headache Disorders, 2nd edition. Cephalalgia 2004, 24(Suppl 1):9–160.
Mathew NT, Stubits E, Nigam MP: Transformation of episodic migraine into daily headache: analysis of factors. Headache 1982, 22:66–68.
Saper JR, VanMeter MJ: Ergotamine addiction [abstract]. Presented at the American Association for the Study of Headache. San Francisco, CA; June, 1980.
Saper JR, Winters M, VanMeter MJ: Non-headache features of cluster headache [abstract]. Presented at the American Association for the Study of Headache. Washington, DC; June, 1981.
Saper JR: Headache Disorders: Current Concepts and Treatment Strategies. Boston: J. Wright-PSG Medical Publishers; 1983.
Silberstein SD, Lipton RB, Solomon S, Mathew NT: Classification of daily and near daily headaches: proposed revisions to the IHS classification. Headache 1994, 34:1–7.
Saper JR, Jones JM: Ergotamine tartrate dependency: features and possible mechanisms. Clin J Neuropharmacol 1986, 9:244–256.
Headache Classification Committee: The International Classification of Headache Disorders, 2nd edition. Cephalalgia 2006, 26:742–746.
Saper JR, Silberstein SD, Gordon CD, Hamel RL: Handbook of Headache Management, edn 2. Baltimore: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins; 1999.
Saper JR, Dodick D, Gladstone JP: Management of chronic daily headache: challenges in clinical practice. Headache 2005, 45(Suppl 1):S74–S85.
Saper JR: Approach to the intractable headache case: identifying treatable barriers to improvement. Continuum: Lifelong Learning in Neurology 2006, 12:259–284.
Merikangas KR, Angst J, Isler H: Migraine and psychopathology: results of the Zurich cohort study of young adults. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1990, 47:849–853.
Breslau N, Davis GC: Migraine, physical health, and psychiatric disorders: a prospective epidemiologic study of young adults. J Psychiatric Res 1993, 27:211–221.
Mathew NT: Prophylaxis of migraine and mixed headache. A randomized controlled study. Headache 1981, 21:105–109.
Mongini F, Defilippi N, Negro C: Chronic daily headache. A clinical and psychologic profile before and after treatment. Headache 1997, 37:83–87.
Lake AE, Saper JR, Hamel RL: Inpatient treatment of intractable headache: outcome for 267 consecutive program completers [abstract]. Headache 2006, 46:893.
Peres MF, Silberstein SD, Nahmias S, et al.: Hemicrania continua is not that rare. Neurology 2001, 57:948–951.
Granella F, Cavallini A, Sandrini G, et al.: Long-term outcome of migraine. Cephalalgia 1998, 18:30–33.
Scher AI, Lipton RB, Stewart W: Risk factors for chronic daily headache. Curr Pain Headache Rep 2002, 6:486–491.
Scher AI, Stewart WF, Ricci JA, Lipton RB: Factors associated with the onset and remission of chronic daily headache in a population-based study. Pain 2003, 106:81–89.
Bigal ME, Sheftell FD, Rapoport AM, et al.: Chronic daily headache: identification of factors associated with induction and transformation. Headache 2002, 42:575–581.
Burstein R: Deconstructing migraine headache into a peripheral and central sensitization. Pain 2001, 89:107–110.
Watkins LR, Milligan ED, Maier SF: Glial activation: a driving force for pathological pain. Trends Neurosci 2001, 24:450–455.
Meng ID, Porreca F: Headache currents. Basic Science: mechanisms of medication overuse. Headache 2004, 1:47–54.
Mao J, Sung B, Ji RR, et al.: Neuronal apoptosis associated with morphine tolerance: evidence for an opioid-induced neurotoxic mechanism. J Neurosci 2002, 22:7650–7661.
Saper JR, Hamel RL, Lake AE III: Medication overuse headache (MOH) is a biobehavioural disorder. Cephalalgia 2005, 25:545–546.
Schwedt TJ, Dodick DW, Trentman TL, et al.: Occipital nerve stimulation for chronic cluster headache and hemicrania continua: pain relief and persistence of autonomic features. Cephalalgia 2006, 26:1025–1027.
Lim G, Wang S, Zeng Q, et al.: Evidence for long-term influence on morphine tolerance after previous morphine exposure: role of glucocorticoid receptors. Pain 2005, 114:81–92.
Saper JR, Lake AE III: Medication overuse headache: type I and type II [letter]. Cephalalgia 2006, 26:1262.
Ozyalcin SN, Talu GK, Kizitan E, et al.: The efficacy and safety of venlafaxine in the prophylaxis of migraine. Headache 2005, 45:144–152.
Jensen R, Brinck T, Olesen J: Sodium valproate has a prophylactic effect in migraine without aura. Neurology 1994, 44:647–651.
Mathew NT, Saper JR, Silberstein SD, et al.: Migraine prophylaxis with divalproex. Arch Neurol 1995, 52:281–286.
Freitag FG, Diamond S, Diamond M, et al.: Divalproex in the long-term treatment of chronic daily headache. Headache 2001, 41:271–278.
Spira PJ, Beran RG: Gabapentin in the prophylaxis of chronic daily headache. A randomized, placebo-controlled study for the Australian Gabapentin Chronic Daily Headache Group. Neurology 2003, 61:1753–1759.
Silberstein SD, Neto W, Schmitt J, et al.: Topiramate in the prevention of migraine headache: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multiple-dose study. MIGR-001 Study Group. Arch Neurol 2004, 61:490–495.
Brandes JL, Saper JR, Diamond M, et al.: Topiramate for migraine prevention: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA 2004, 291:965–973.
Mathew NT, Schmit TJ, Jacobs D, et al.: Topiramate in migraine prevention (MIGR-001): effect on migraine frequency [abstract]. Neurology 2003, 60:A336.
Silberstein S, Lipton RB, Dodick DW, et al.: Efficacy and safety of topiramate for the treatment of chronic migraine: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Headache 2007, 47:170–180.
Saper JR, Lake AE III, Cantrell DT, et al.: Chronic daily headache prophylaxis with tizanidine: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter outcome study. Headache 2002, 42:470–482.
Mauskop A: Botulinum toxin in the treatment of chronic daily headache [abstract]. Cephalalgia 1999, 19:453.
Dodick DW, Mauskop A, Elkind AH, et al.: Botulinum toxin type A for the prophylaxis of chronic daily headache: subgroup analysis of patients not receiving other prophylactic medications: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Headache 2005, 45:315–324.
Silberstein SD, Stark SR, Lucas SM, et al.: Botulinum toxin type A for the prophylactic treatment of chronic daily headache: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Mayo Clin Proc 2005, 80:1126–1137.
Saper JR, Lake AE III, Hamel RL, et al.: Daily scheduled opioids for intractable head pain: long-term observations of a treatment program. Neurology 2004, 62:1687–1694.
Saper JR, Lake AE, Madden SF, et al.: Comprehensive/tertiary care for headache: a 6-month outcome study. Headache 1999, 39:249–263.
Freitag FG, Lake AE III, Lipton R, et al.: Inpatient treatment of headache: an evidence-based assessment. Headache 2004, 44:342–360.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Saper, J.R. Chronic daily headache: Transformational migraine, chronic migraine, and related disorders. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep 8, 100–107 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11910-008-0017-y
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11910-008-0017-y