Background: Posttraumatic headache (PTH) occurs in up to 82% of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) occurs in 39% of those with PTH. This study evaluates whether PTSD affects PTH disability. Methods: Eighty-six patients with TBI were prospectively evaluated in a secondary care trauma center. Headache disability was assessed using the Headache Impact Test version 6 and signs indicative of PTSD using the PTSD Check List Civilian version. Results: Increased PTSD-type symptoms were significantly associated with increased headache disability (p<0.001), as were employment status and loss of consciousness (p=0.049 and 0.016, respectively). Age was negatively correlated with headache disability (Spearman’s correlation rho=0.361, p=0.001). Conclusion: Increased severity of PTSD-type symptoms is significantly associated with increased headache disability in patients with chronic PTH. Managing PTSD symptoms in patients with chronic PTH may facilitate headache management.
CITATION STYLE
Roper, L. S., Nightingale, P., Su, Z., Mitchell, J. L., Belli, A., & Sinclair, A. J. (2017). Disability from posttraumatic headache is compounded by coexisting posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of Pain Research, 10, 1991–1996. https://doi.org/10.2147/JPR.S129808
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