Ever had a headache that just won’t budge and seems absolutely relentless? An intractable headache refers to a headache that doctors are struggling to treat. This can be a migraine or another type of headache, cluster, or tension, for example, that doesn’t seem to go away.

Regardless of the cause, intractable headaches can be very hard for people to deal with and may have a huge impact on their life. These types of headaches can also have a lot of triggers, such a light, sound, and fast movement that can almost make a person’s day-to-day life a nightmare.  Even though there is no straightforward cure or treatments for intractable headaches, at LNP we have a number of specialists who will work together to ensure that all possible causes are investigated and the best possible outcome is achieved.

The first thing your doctor will ask for is your medical and family history. Using this information your doctor will be able to see what the previous doctors have related the pain to and the different treatment options that you have used. They will also ask for a list of your symptoms and what the triggers are if there are any.

Headaches are put into two categories:

• Primary headaches – this means that the headache is not caused by something like an infection or brain tumour.
• Secondary headaches – these headaches are caused by an underlying condition

Most intractable headaches are primary, as most secondary headaches can be diagnosed with imaging tests such as a CT or MRI scan. And although there is no cure for this condition, decreasing frequency and severity is the top priority of treatment, if there is no other underlying cause of intractable headaches. To get to this stage, starting and stopping different medications and treatments to see which suits you and your body best is a good course of action. Your consultant will discuss with you the best path for your condition and any side effects of the medications that are to be expected. Your consultant will want you to take control of your headaches and break it down into more controllable, almost bite-size pieces such as what is triggering your headaches, what makes it better, medication, and any lifestyle changes etc.

If you are suffering from headaches that seem relentless, please don’t hesitate to contact our office and book an appointment with one of our specialists.