Diagnostic uncertainty in severe continuous headache: Examining the overlap between status migrainosus, new daily persistent headache, and refractory migraine

Plain Language Summary When a headache becomes severe and does not stop for months, the diagnosis is not always clear, even when it seems like migraine. Current definitions of status migrainosus, new daily persistent headache, and refractory migraine overlap, so one patient may fit more than one diagnosis at the same time. This may make research less consistent and make it harder to know when treatment should be escalated, demonstrating the need for clearer rules that do not overlap.