Episodic migraine often evolves and acquires into chronic migraine for a tiny minority of people. Chronic migraine happens at least 15 days out of every month.
Although episodic migraine has a lesser frequency, both these migraines have a steady and substantial impact on daily life.
Both affect a person’s ability, social life, personal life, and relationships.
Episodic vs. Chronic Migraine
Episodic and Chronic are a manner of depicting the pattern of symptoms in various people with migraine.
Episodic migraine induces symptoms in less than 15 days per month, having symptom-free intervals in between. Whereas Chronic migraine symptoms sustain 15 days or more than that per month for at least three months. Amongst them, at least 8 episodes meet the criteria of migraine headache.
Chronic migraine is persistent and acute.
Symptoms of Episodic vs. Chronic Migraine
The symptoms of episodic and chronic migraine are more or less similar. The main difference lies in the frequency and longevity of the symptoms.
The mutual symptoms of both episodic and chronic migraine are inclusive of the following;
- 1. Vomit
- 2. Moderate head pain, mostly on one side of the head (often severe, too)
- 3. Light or Sound Sensitivity
- 4. Nausea
Symptoms Experience
Everyone doesn’t experience all the symptoms. Some can have nausea but may not vomit, while others may experience silent migraine. There, they receive some of the symptoms but no pain.
Some people may also experience auras a few minutes before a migraine episode. They are temporary sensory disturbances that include visionary alterations, hearing sounds, or various sensations in the skin.
Migraine symptoms last, usually from a few hours to many days. The headaches people experience in chronic migraine are frequent and last for extensive periods.
Additionally, chronic migraine connects to an increased risk of medication overuse headaches, which might feel similar to migraine.
Causes of Episodic vs. Chronic Migraine
The particular reason behind migraine is quite unclear. However, researchers have depicted that, it involves a complex series of changes occurring in the brain and nervous system.
Few studies depict that the source of pain is the trigeminal system. The system integrates the trigeminal nerve, which initiates at the ear and splits into three branches. They arrive at the nose, behind the eyes, and down towards the jaw.
Sensitivity
The sensitivity of these nerves caused by the chemical reactions in the body is the reason behind migraine pain.
People may be more affected by migraine if they are respectively; female and have a familial history of migraine. They all possess other several medical circumstances like epilepsy, anxiety, bipolar disorder, or depression.
As well as, many situations trigger an attack on the people who are suffering from migraine. Those are as follows;
- Hormonal alterations.
- Weather changes
- Tobacco
- Noisy environment
- Stress
- Flashing or very bright light, Etc.
Characteristics of chronic migraine
The people who have chronic migraine experiences various episodes more days in a month than the persons who have episodic migraine.
Chronic migraine is detectable when you have the following symptoms;
- The migraine or tension headache impacts a person 15 or more days per month for 3 months.
- The person feels the migraine headaches and relative symptoms for at least 8 days every month.
- Episodes will last more than 24 hours.
Chronic migraine episodes last longer. They are more severe than episodic migraine. The pain often comes in various forms.
Characteristics of Episodic Migraine
Migraine attacks often occur on one side of the head. Additionally, they are characterized by a pulsing or throbbing sensation.
- Nausea
- Light sensitivity
- Sound sensitivity
- Vomit
The common triggers of episodic migraine are respectively as follows;
- Menstruation
- Weather alterations
- Stress
Indications
When you have at least 5 migraine attacks in your lifetime and the episodes typically last within 4 to 24 hours, then it is a sign that episodic migraine has taken place in your body.
Migraine attacks that affect less than 15 days per month can be segmented as episodic migraine.
You can also experience migraine headaches as a side effect of medications. Episodic migraine can also be found as an eye disorder or brain injury.
That is why, doctors will ask you about the symptoms or scrutinize your familial or personal medical history. This way they can distinguish episodic migraine.
The physicians can also eliminate other probable causes.
Treatments for Episodic vs. Chronic Migraine
To treat episodic migraine, a doctor will recommend OTC medications. Based on frequency and seriousness, doctors can also suggest a prescription medication.
Certain preventive medications can assist people with episodic migraine. As a result, they may experience fewer episodes of them.
Properly treating migraines can help reduce headache intensity and the necessity of medications.
However, the doctors will usually recommend the below-mentioned medications if a person gets hit with an episodic or chronic migraine attack.
Anti-nausea medications – Ondansetron or Metoclopramide can foreclose nausea and help preclude the vomiting motion.
Pain Medications – Over-the-counter pain comforters, like acetaminophen or ibuprofen, can palliate moderate, seasonal, or soft episodic migraine pain. In addition, these medications can provide relief for those experiencing such pain.
Triptans – This particular medication treats migraine in a specialized manner. However, a person is advised not to take this more than 10 days per month.
Doctors usually suggest the following to assist in the prevention of migraine episodes from occurring in, a frequent manner;
1. Neuromodulation devices – Treatments like noninvasive vagus nerve stimulation or transcranial magnetic stimulation.x`
2. Preventive medications – Antiepileptic drugs, chosen antidepressants, and Beta-blockers.
3. Biofeedback – This is a contemporary therapy lesson on controlling and remaining aware of body functions. It also includes a procedure for relaxation and reducing muscle pain.
4. Botox – OnabotulinumtoxinA injections every 12 weeks.
5. Lifestyle alterations – Keeping a diary of migraine triggers.
6. Mental Health Treatment – Cognitive behavioral therapy.
Conclusion
This way, episodic and chronic migraines can be comparatively calculated to understand their similarities, dissimilarities, functions, characteristics, cures, and all the other underlying factors. This comparison helps identify effective management strategies and potential cures. Recognizing the underlying factors differentiating episodic migraines from chronic ones allows for more personalized and effective treatment approaches. Furthermore, this understanding can improve the quality of life for those affected by migraines, enabling more informed decisions regarding their care and management.
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Vicky collaborates closely with doctors, scientists, and professionals in the medical and pharmaceutical industries. Having worked with SBU Community Clinic in the USA, he is dynamic in writing and publishing health-related guest blogging services, offering valuable insights in the healthcare field.
