No abstract

More than 1 in 3 returning military troops who have sustained a deployment-related concussion have headaches that meet criteria for posttraumatic headache. Migraine is the predominant headache phenotype precipitated by a concussion during military deployment. Compared with headaches not directly attributable to head trauma, posttraumatic headaches are associated with a higher frequency of headache attacks and an increased prevalence of chronic daily headache.

The prevalence of CDH in returning U.S. soldiers after a deployment-related concussion is 20%, or 4- to 5-fold higher than that seen in the general U.S. population. CDH following a concussion usually resembles chronic migraine and is associated with onset of headaches within the first week after concussion. The mechanism and number of concussions are not specifically associated with CDH as compared to episodic headache. In contrast, PTSD symptoms are strongly associated with CDH, suggesting that traumatic stress may be an important mediator of headache chronification. These findings justify future studies examining strategies to prevent and treat CDH in military service members following a concussive injury.