• Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Directory
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
The Brain Health Magazine
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Directory
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
The Brain Health Magazine
No Result
View All Result

Determining the Cause of Your Post-Traumatic Headache

Featured Content | Headache Issue

in Concussion, Headache
April 30, 2020
3
traumatic, headache, brain injury, migraine, concussion, pcs, tbi,

by Kellie Pokrifka

Headache is the most common symptom following a brain injury. In those with moderate to severe brain injury, over half of the population will suffer from headache. Interestingly, rates are even higher in populations of those with mild TBI. Over 70% of those with concussion will experience post-traumatic headache. 

However, determining the type of headache that occurs after a brain injury can be difficult. All of the subtypes of headache following TBI are considered post-traumatic headache (PTH, PTHA.) Know that PTH is simply a symptom, not a diagnosis. This term states that there is some sort of headache following brain injury, but the term fails to define what is causing the headache and what treatments will be appropriate. 

Determining the actual cause of your headache will help guide you to the proper treatments. Common types of PTH involves issues with migraine, cervicogenic (neck), tension, neuritic (nerves), musculoskeletal (muscles), TMJD (jaw joint), and myofascial (soft tissue.) Headaches can also result from medications. Although extremely rare, the possibility of spinal leaks, aneurysms, and brain bleeds need to be considered as they can also result from brain injuries and present as headaches. Note that a patient can have multiple causes of headaches, and that each of them can exacerbate the others.

The mnemonic COLDER can be utilized to help determine the type of headache. 

C– Character. What does the headache feel like? Dull and aching or sharp and stabbing?

O– Onset. What triggers the headache? Does it start during intense exercise or does it wake you up in the middle of your sleep?

L-Location. Where exactly does the headache start? Does it stay in one place, or does it continue to spread around your head?

D– Duration. How long does the headache last? Does it come in short bursts or can it last for hours or days?

E– Exacerbation. What makes your headache worse? Is it affected by bright lights? Does exercising cause even greater pain? 

R– Relief. What helps your headache, even just slightly? Dark rooms? Caffeine? If your doctor has prescribed medication(s) for your headache, be able to explain the degree of relief and/or the side effects you experience while taking these medications.

While listing your COLDER description to your doctor, be as thorough as possible. Seemingly minor clues can be instrumental to receiving a proper diagnosis. Whether you get relief from a heating pad or from ice, or whether exercise helps ease or spike symptoms can provide your doctor with greater insight into the underlying problem. 

We all know that brain injury recovery can be frustratingly complicated. Determining the cause of your headache can be just as much of an uphill battle as finding the proper treatments for your headache. Until we have more thorough research, trial and error is almost always essential to recovery. Be sure that your doctor(s) is truly willing to work with you through this process. Brain injury recovery is far less of a burden when our doctors work alongside us as teammates.

Kellie Pokritka is a TBI survivor and works as an intermediary between the experts and the patients with brain injuries.

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare Via EmailPinterest

Comments 3

  1. Pingback: Migraine Resources – Brain Energy Support Team
  2. Pingback: Determining the Cause of Your Post-Traumatic Headache – Safety Health News
  3. Pingback: Determining the Cause of Your Post-Traumatic Headache - The Good Men Project |

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Next Post
sam black, tarot reading, tbi,

May Tarot Reading: Ballerina Princess

SIGN UP

BLOG

Domestic Abuse and Traumatic Brain Injuries

by James A. Heuer, PA Domestic abuse and TBI have been linked through data; however, very limited research has been conducted because many instances of domestic abuse go unreported. The research that has been done is consistent with the indication of the severity of the issue. Since domestic abuse victims are usually exposed to instances […]

Read more

Mindful + Movement

By Kelly Harrigan Treatments for concussions and head injuries are reaching new heights of awareness in recent years. Traditional medical standard of care has been a “wait and see” approach, which isn’t helpful for those who are afflicted. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-concussive syndrome (PCS) often includes the many systems within the body, including […]

Read more

Essential Oils: Rosemary and Rosemary Vitality™

By Amy Zellmer, Editor-in-chief Essential oils are a complementary tool that can help you achieve a healthy lifestyle. They are easy to use, smell great, and are versatile. All oils are not created equal. Young Living is the only brand I personally trust because I know they have complete control over their product from seed […]

Read more

Memory Problems? Maybe an Optometrist Can Help

By Deborah Zelinsky, O.D. Why would someone visit an optometrist for memory problems? Because memories are built on our ability to “visualize” and “process” what we are seeing, feeling, smelling, touching, hearing, and thinking. Visual processing is what enables us to respond appropriately to changes in the environment. That environment can include aromas, facial expressions, […]

Read more

The Memory-Boosting Magic of Fluorite

By Kristen Brown In today’s jam-packed world it can be difficult to retain and remember everything thrown at us. If you are under high stress, have a short- or long-term illness, or have sustained any type of bodily or brain injury, it makes memory even more complicated. Enter fluorite — a powerful crystal that can […]

Read more

Diet to Help Decrease Oxidative Stress and Improve Memory

By Sierra Fawn Guay, MS, RDN, LDN, CBIS The brain has many functions. Of these, memory is perhaps the most affected by oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is caused by an imbalance of free radicals and antioxidants. Free radicals are highly reactive, unstable molecules that are formed naturally in the body, including during the use of […]

Read more

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Memory?

By Shauna Hahn Transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS, is an FDA-approved medical therapy for hard-to-treat depression and OCD, but did you know that it is really useful for memory problems following TBI, too? Let me explain how. TMS utilizes an MRI-strength magnet that we place directly on the heads of individuals with depression, anxiety, trauma, […]

Read more

Life Lessons Learned From a TBI

By Amy Zellmer, Editor-in-chief Contact. It seems so simple, yet it’s so critical to our daily lives. Even introverts and people with agoraphobia still need contact whether in-person, over the phone, or on a Zoom call. Those of us living with brain injury have long been experts at self-isolation; however, it’s always been on our terms. […]

Read more

From the Editor

By Amy Zellmer, Editor-in-chief As I sat down to write this issue’s “From the Editor” section, I took some time to reflect back on my own journey, and how my memory was so severely impacted by my injury. In the early days of my recovery, my memory deficits were apparent right away. I remember the […]

Read more

INSTAGRAM

Follow Us!

    The Instagram Access Token is expired, Go to the Customizer > JNews : Social, Like & View > Instagram Feed Setting, to to refresh it.

© Copyright 2019 | The Brain Health Magazine

  • Advertise With Us
  • Submission Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • Contact Us

DISCLAIMER: THIS MAGAZINE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE - View PDF

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Directory
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used.