Abstract
Posttraumatic headache (PTH) is the most common secondary headache disorder, accounting
for approximately 4% of all headache disorders. It is the most common symptom following
concussion (mild traumatic brain injury) and can be debilitating for many who have
persistent symptoms. With a recent increase in public awareness regarding traumatic
brain injury, there has been a corresponding increase in PTH research. The pathophysiology
of PTH remains poorly understood and the underlying mechanisms are likely multifactorial.
Diagnosis of PTH is dependent on a temporal relationship to a head injury. PTH often
resembles common primary headache phenotypes. Treatment of PTH utilizes known treatments
for these other headache phenotypes, as there is no currently approved treatment specifically
for PTH. Moving forward, further studies are needed to better define and validate
the definition of PTH, understand the underlying pathophysiology, and find more specific
treatments.
Keywords
posttraumatic headache - traumatic brain injury - concussion - headache
