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What is a post-traumatic headache, and why does it occur?

On Behalf of | Dec 6, 2022 | Personal Injury |

It’s normal for all residents of Florida and other areas to experience occasional headaches. However, after suffering head trauma, you might deal with a specific type of pain. This is known as post-traumatic headache, and this is how it affects you.

Understanding post-traumatic headaches

A post-traumatic headache can occur within seven days of sustaining a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Sometimes, it develops after a person comes back from unconsciousness.

Post-traumatic headaches are intensely painful and similar to migraines as it’s possible to experience side effects such as sensitivity to light, nausea and vomiting. They can feel like pounding in a person’s head. Other possible symptoms of a post-traumatic headache may include fatigue, dizziness, insomnia, mood and personality changes, nervousness, memory and concentration problems and depression.

Many people who develop post-traumatic headaches improve within three months, but some experience them for even longer. Women and anyone with a family history of migraine are more at risk for post-traumatic headaches.

Causes of post-traumatic headache

As post-traumatic headache develops from suffering a TBI, there are different ways the injury can occur. Car accidents often result in severe trauma to the head upon impact. The person’s head may be whipped violently forward and then back or from side to side and the brain is jolted, hitting one side of the skull and then the other.

Falls that result in a person hitting their head on the ground or another surface can also cause TBI. Sports and acts of violence that involve blunt force trauma to the head can also lead to the development of TBI and later, post-traumatic headache.

A post-traumatic headache is often debilitating, affecting the victim’s ability to perform regular daily activities. Seeking medical attention might help improve a person’s condition.