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Episodic migraines are more common than chronic migraines
Episodic migraines are characterized by 1-14 migraine headaches per month and are fairly common, affecting about 14% of the population.
Episodic migraines are more common than chronic migraines, which occur 15 days per month continuously for 3 consecutive months or more.
What is an episodic migraine?
Migraine is a chronic, debilitating condition characterized by recurrent severe headaches. Migraines are classified into two types based on the frequency and severity of attacks: episodic and chronic.
- Chronic migraines: Occur 15 or more days per month for at least 3 months and are typically more intense and difficult to manage
- Episodic migraines: Occur 1-14 times per month, are more common and further classified into two categories:
- Low-frequency episodic migraine: Less than 10 times per month
- High-frequency episodic migraine: Between 10-14 times per month
What are typical migraine symptoms?
Pain from a migraine is often experienced as a pulsating sensation on one side of the head. Additional symptoms may include:
- Nausea
- Weakness
- Sensitivity to light and sound
- Auras, which are visual disturbances such as flashing lights or blurred vision
Each migraine episode can last from 4-72 hours and can vary in strength and frequency. In some cases, the episode may worsen over time.
What is the difference between episodic and chronic migraines?
The main difference between episodic and chronic migraines is the frequency of migraine headaches.
Episodic migraines can progress and become chronic migraines over the months or years, although it is unclear why this occurs. According to some experts, inflammation causes blood vessels in the brain to swell and compress surrounding neurons, resulting in headaches. Repeated inflammatory events may contribute to the development of an episodic migraine to a chronic migraine. It is conceivable that repeated bouts of inflammation make particular nerve cells in the brain more sensitive, making migraine pain more frequent.
Research studies have shown that those with chronic migraines experience more non-headache issues than those with episodic migraines, such as:
- Increased rates of unemployment
- Increased rates of absence from work
- Disability due to migraines
One study reported that people with chronic migraines experienced nearly twice as many symptoms as those with episodic migraines, include:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Chronic pain
- Higher rates of respiratory and cardiovascular risk factors
What are treatment options for episodic migraines?
Both episodic and chronic migraines can be excruciatingly painful. However, migraines often improve with age. By the time many people reach their 50s or 60s, symptoms of extreme pain subside and may be replaced with aura symptoms alone.
The FDA has authorized over-the-counter migraine drugs such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen to alleviate headaches. However, over-the-counter headache medications might induce drug overuse headaches if taken too frequently. If you find yourself using these drugs on a regular basis, consult your doctor.
There are over a dozen pharmaceutical drugs available to treat migraines, such as dihydroergotamine (DHE), sumatriptan, botulinum toxin type A (Botox), and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) blockers:
- DHE: Can be injected or used as a nasal spray
- Sumatriptan: Can be injected, ingested or administered as a nasal spray
- Botox injections: Provide relief for many people with migraine
- New CGRP blockers: Injected monthly or every three months to prevent migraines and reduce severity when they do occur and include erenumab, fremanezumab and galcanezumab
If you suffer from episodic migraines, talk to your doctor about your treatment options.