Chronic migraine

Chronic migraine is usually defined as headache on 15 or more days per month for more than three months, with migraine features on at least 8 days per month. It can be highly disabling and should be managed with a clinician.

Why chronic migraine needs a plan

Frequent attacks raise the risk of medication overuse, missed work or school, sleep disruption, depression or anxiety burden, and escalating disability. A plan usually includes both acute treatment for breakthrough attacks and preventive strategies to reduce frequency.

What to track

Track headache days, migraine-feature days, acute medication days, severity, duration, nausea or vomiting, aura, missed activities, and whether treatment returned you to function.

Medication-day counts matter because medication-overuse headache can coexist with chronic migraine and make patterns harder to treat.

Also track the days that are not full migraine attacks but still include head pain, light sensitivity, brain fog, neck pain, or reduced function. Chronic migraine care often depends on the whole monthly burden, not only the worst attacks. A simple calendar view can make it easier to show whether a treatment reduced severe days, mild headache days, medication days, or missed activities.

Sources

• American Migraine Foundation: What is chronic migraine?
• American Migraine Foundation: Understanding migraine medications
• American Migraine Foundation: Medication overuse headache