Chronic daily headache

Chronic daily headache (CDH) is not a specific headache type, but a syndrome that encompasses other primary headaches. The term “chronic” refers either to the frequency of headaches or to the duration of the disease, depending upon the specific headache type.

●With headache subtypes of long duration (ie, four hours or more), “chronic” indicates a headache frequency of 15 or more days a month for longer than three months in the absence of organic pathology. These headache subtypes are:

•Chronic migraine headache

•Chronic tension-type headache

•Medication overuse headache

•Hemicrania continua

•New daily persistent headache

●With headache subtypes of shorter duration (ie, less than four hours), “chronic” refers to a prolonged duration of the condition itself without remission. The headache subtypes in this category are the following:

•Chronic cluster headache

•Chronic paroxysmal hemicrania

•Hypnic headache

•Short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache attacks

•Primary stabbing headache

●The worldwide prevalence of CDH among adults is approximately 4 percent. Most patients with CDH have either chronic tension-type headache or chronic migraine.

●The diagnosis of CDH is suspected on the basis of a compatible headache history. Other disorders causing secondary headache must be excluded.

●The management of CDH depends on the specific headache type and the presence or absence of medication overuse.