What is hemicrania continua?

Hemicrania continua is a headache disorder that causes pain in one side of your face or head. These headaches last for extended periods, often for several months. The pain associated with hemicrania continua is typically described as moderate to severe in intensity. It may fluctuate in severity but remains present throughout the day and night. Some people with hemicrania continua experience daily, continuous headaches without relief. Others have the headache for several months followed by pain relief for a few days, weeks, or months before the headache returns. While anyone can have hemicrania continua, it’s most common in people assigned female at birth.

Hemicrania continua is treated by a doctor who specializes in neurological disorders called a neurologist. Neurologists at Penn Medicine are among the leading providers in the southeastern Pennsylvania and South Jersey region who are dedicated to diagnosing and treating headache disorders like hemicrania continua. 

Hemicrania continua symptoms

The most common hemicrania continua symptom is a painful headache on one side of the head that doesn’t go away. Additional symptoms may include: 

  • Drooping eyelids 
  • Facial flushing 
  • Nausea and vomiting 
  • Red or teary eyes 
  • Restlessness 
  • Runny or stuffy nose 
  • Sensitivity to light or loud noises 

What causes hemicrania continua?

Hemicrania continua is considered a primary headache disorder, meaning another condition doesn’t cause it. The exact cause of hemicrania continua is unknown, but it’s believed to involve dysfunction in certain areas of the brain responsible for pain processing. For some people, drinking alcohol or doing physical activity makes the pain worse, though there are no known triggers for hemicrania continua.

Hemicrania continua treatments

Treating chronic headaches like hemicrania continua often involves coordination among different specialists to ensure the best outcome. Our headache team consists of neurologists, clinical psychologists, physical and occupational therapists, nutritionists, and holistic therapy practitioners. We focus on learning about you to find the best ways to eliminate or successfully manage your headaches. At Penn Medicine, our mission is to bring you headache pain relief and improve your overall well-being. While there isn’t a cure for hemicrania continua, it typically responds well to a prescription nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). If that doesn’t work, additional treatments include other NSAID pain relievers, steroids, and medicines for migraine relief that can also provide relief for hemicrania continua symptoms. 

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