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Papers of the Week


2020 Nov


J Am Assoc Nurse Pract


32


11

Headache management in a Veteran population: First considerations.

Authors

Williams KA
J Am Assoc Nurse Pract. 2020 Nov; 32(11):758-763.
PMID: 33177336.

Abstract

It is estimated that almost half the general population has a headache disorder. The majority of these are considered tension-type headaches. Migraines and chronic daily headache (CDH) are not as common but are much more debilitating. Although CDH/chronic migraine (CM) occurs in about 3% of the population, it has been found to be 20% or higher in the post 9/11 combat Veteran population. Data from the Veterans Health Administration show that more than 380,000 Veterans, younger than 50 years, received care for a headache in 2017. Approximately 75% of the headache care was from a primary care provider. The purpose of the article is to review physical examination for the veteran with a history of a headache disorder, discuss contributing factors and comorbid conditions, as well as give an overview of current treatment options, with a focus on the post-9/11 combat Veteran who has CDH/CM.