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Posttraumatic Headache in Military Personnel and Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan Conflicts

  • Headache (JR Couch, Section Editor)
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Opinion statement

Headaches, particularly migraine, are common in US servicemembers (SMs) who are deployed to or have returned from theaters of combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Concussions and exposure to explosive blasts may be a significant contributor to the increased prevalence of headaches in military veterans. Concussions, usually due to blast exposure, occur in approximately 20% of deployed SMs, and headaches are a common symptom after a deployment-related concussion. Posttraumatic headaches (PTHAs) in US SMs usually resemble migraines, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression are common comorbidities. Treatment of PTHAs in SMs is based upon the treatment setting, whether the headaches are acute or chronic, the headache phenotype, and associated comorbidities. No randomized, controlled clinical trials evaluating the efficacy of therapies for PTHAs have been completed. Pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic management strategies should be selected on an individual basis. Acute therapy with NSAIDs or triptans and prophylactic therapy in acute and chronic settings using valproate, nortriptyline, amitriptyline, propranolol, topiramate, or botulinum toxin are discussed. Triptans and topiramate may be particularly effective in SMs with PTHA. Management of PTHA and other features of the posttraumatic syndrome should be multidisciplinary whenever possible.

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Disclaimer

The views expressed are those of the authors and are not the official policies of the Department of the Army, the Department of Defense, or the US Government.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Medical Corps, United States Army, Fort Sam Houston, TX, USA

    Brett J. Theeler MD & Jay C. Erickson MD, PhD

  2. 187th Medical Battalion, AMEDD Student Detachment, Fort Sam Houston, TX, USA

    Brett J. Theeler MD

  3. Department of Medicine, Neurology Service, Madigan Army Medical Center, Fort Lewis, WA, USA

    Jay C. Erickson MD, PhD

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  1. Brett J. Theeler MD
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  2. Jay C. Erickson MD, PhD
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Correspondence to Brett J. Theeler MD.

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Theeler, B.J., Erickson, J.C. Posttraumatic Headache in Military Personnel and Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan Conflicts. Curr Treat Options Neurol 14, 36–49 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11940-011-0157-2

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