• Johna K Register-Mihalik, Christina B Vander Vegt, Michael Cools, and Kevin Carnerio.
• Matthew Gfeller Sport-Related Traumatic Brain Injury Research Center, Department of Exercise and Sport Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 125 Fetzer Hall, CB# 8700, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA. johnakay@email.unc.edu.
• Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2018 Sep 10; 22 (11): 75.

Purpose Of ReviewThe purpose of this review is to (1) describe factors both pre- and post-injury that are associated with post-concussion headache, (2) describe the influence of post-concussion headache on recovery following concussion, and (3) provide potential post-concussion treatment options that may reduce the burden of headache, as well as other symptoms to facilitate recovery.Recent FindingsVarious factors may be associated with post-concussion headache presentation. These may include pre-injury or historical factors such as sex, family and self-history of headache and migraine, concussion history, and mood disorders. In addition, post-injury presentation factors for consideration may include injury mechanism, symptom clusters, cervicogenic dysfunction, and post-concussion physiologic dysfunction. Despite this complex interplay of factors, many treatment options may improve headache symptoms and recovery post-concussion including rehabilitation programs focusing on deficits such as visual-vestibular dysfunction, sub-symptom threshold exercise, and potential pharmacological interventions. Concussion is a complex injury that results in a variety of sequelae with headache being one of the most common. Understanding factors related to post-concussion headache presentation and the available options for treatment may improve patient care and outcomes post-concussion.

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