When Do Migraines Become a Chronic Condition?

You’re going about your daily life, maybe dropping your kids off at school and contemplating your obligations at work, when you feel a familiar pressure in your head. You know this means a migraine will begin soon. 

Migraine headaches disrupt your life and make it difficult to work and function as a responsible adult. The providers at all three locations of Apex Medical Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, specialize in pain management and understand the toll of frequent or chronic pain. We’ve put together this guide to help you understand the difference between episodic, or occasional, and chronic migraine. 

The biggest difference: frequency

The line between episodic and chronic migraine is straightforward. If you have 15 or more migraines in one month, you have chronic migraine. If you have fewer than 15 migraines in a month, you have episodic migraine. 

Experts estimate that around 3% of people who have episodic migraine progress to chronic migraine. People who have chronic migraine tend to have higher rates of disability, attacks tend to last longer, and the severity of symptoms is worse. 

Migraine phases

Migraines, whether episodic or chronic, tend to follow the same three phases: 

• Premonitory or prodrome - 24-48 hours before the headache, characterized by mood changes, fatigue, neck pain, and, for about one-third of people, visual aura or other neurological symptoms
• Headache - the actual pain, and the neurological symptoms may persist, lasting 4-72 hours
• Postdrome - lasts for about 72 hours following the pain, may cause fatigue, inability to focus or concentrate, stiff neck muscles

This means that all three phases of a migraine could last as long as a week. If you have 15 or more attacks per month, you may never have a period of recovery. 

Differences in treatment

Treatment plans are similar for both episodic and chronic migraine. Both usually include medication to take as a preventive, along with medication to take when you have an attack. 

Regardless of frequency, you may benefit from determining your triggers. Not everyone has identifiable triggers, but if avoiding certain foods or beverages could mean less pain, it’s worth investigation. 

Some people find that cognitive behavioral therapy, biofeedback, or other complementary treatments help. Good self-care can help too, so make sure you get enough, high-quality sleep, drink enough water, eat a well-balanced, nutritious diet, and schedule times for relaxation. 

Talk to an expert

You don’t have to feel like your life is passing you by while you deal with migraine pain. Schedule an appointment to talk to one of the providers at Apex Medical Center and learn about your treatment options.