Teri Robert, editor of HelpForHeadaches.com, has put together an article about NDPH: New Daily Persistent Headache: The Basics.
Some details from the International Headache Society’s International Classification of Headache Disorders:
4.8 New daily-persistent headache (NDPH)
Diagnostic criteria:
- Headache for more than 3 months fulfilling criteria B–D
- Headache is daily and unremitting from onset or from less than 3 days from onset
- At least two of the following pain characteristics:
- bilateral location
- pressing/tightening (non-pulsating) quality
- mild or moderate intensity
- not aggravated by routine physical activity such as walking or climbing stairs
- Both of the following:
- no more than one of photophobia, phonophobia or mild nausea
- neither moderate or severe nausea nor vomiting
- Not attributed to another disorder
So, “in a nutshell,” there you have it. no treatment specifically outlined. The part that has been one of the top items of the Frustrating List is the fact that “other conditions must be ruled out before arriving at a diagnosis.” I don’t even remember how many months we spent going to so many other doctors other than headache doctors and having tests to rule out diseases and illnesses. Not to mention the pain and time that I had to take out of college to have those appointments and tests. A big fat “OY” for that.
Next topic… memory, or my lack therof these days, and how it’s all thanks (haha) to medication. Thumbs down.
June 15, 2007 at 11:22 am
I read a book by Oliver Sacks called “Migraine” and he suggests that your intestines and your brain cells are made of exact kind of cells. So whatever food hits your intestines and causes inflamation will also cause inflamation in the brain. When you are throwing up, think about what you ate 6 or so hours ago because your body is trying to get rid of it. You feel poisoned don’t you? I would literally feel like I was going to die!!!
I grew up having almost daily migraines since the Day I was born! That was almost 90% of a 43 year old life. After numerous neurologists, I was told that I simply had a “birth defect”. It took 43 years to figure out (and believe me, I was constantly trying medications and diets) that my birth defect was an allergic reaction to “WHEAT”! No more wretched migraines. Gone. But I had to give up a lot of food.
Now, my headaches are gone, except for the over the RIGHT EYE HEADACHE which I wake up with from grinding my teeth. This can be relieved by taking a tight visor or headband and reverse it around and put it on the back of your head so that the ends rest on the back of your muscles behind your ears. Let the headband rest for a few minutes to relax the muscles then move it to another place like your temples. Move it to different places behind your head. If it hurts, then you have too much tension. If it doesn’t then you are releasing some tension. There are other massage excersizes you can do. I am not a doctor though. I am just giving you some advice for what works for me. Also, ice on the head.
My sister also had problems and went down the road of too many drugs. She is now dying from a trial drug. Be careful and if you can fix things with your diet, perhaps it is possible. Good luck! -Holliday