In 2011, the University of Washington Medical Center published the results of a study that examined recurring headaches in traumatic brain injury victims. The findings upset the prevailing medical opinion at the time; prior to the study, medical experts believed that headaches resulting from a TBI would become less frequent and less painful over time. The new data indicated that victims of TBI had new or worse headaches one year after their initial injury.

Findings highlight what we don’t know

This June, Dr. Sylvia Lucas, MD, clinical professor of neurology and neurological surgery at the University of Washington Medical Center, presented the results of a follow-up study at the annual meeting of the American Headache Society. Her team found that five years after a traumatic brain injury, one-third of victims continue to suffer persistent headaches. The findings highlight a need for more research into effectively treating TBI over time.

From Neurology Today, Dr. Lucas says “’We have no data on how well our standard medications work for this population. Standard practice right now is if it looks like a migraine and smells like a migraine, we treat it like a migraine, even though technically these are not migraines. It’s an area for future research….’ Stewart Tepper, MD, professor of neurology and director of research at the Dartmouth Headache Clinic in the Geisel School of Medicine, called the findings on the persistence of headache in this group ‘alarming.’”

TBI headaches are NOT migraines

The study, which examined 316 patients, revealed that the percentage of those experiencing painful headaches varied by only a few points over five years. Unexpectedly, the percentage of TBI victims experiencing headaches was slightly higher after more time had passed. In addition, headache symptoms were evaluated that confirmed previous findings; these headaches are not migraines, but the result of a traumatic brain injury.

While research continues, TBI victims and their families live with the effects of brain injury every day. There is hope that emerging treatments can improve quality of life, but we fight for those who are hurting today. When your loved one suffers a TBI in an accident, the experienced Nashville traumatic brain injury attorneys at Rocky McElhaney Law Firm can help get your family the compensation they need for medical bills and continuing treatment. Call 615.246.5549, visit our offices in Nashville, Gallatin, or Knoxville, or contact us today for a free consultation.