There is no definitive diagnostic test for hemicrania continua.

Triptans and other abortive medications do not affect hemicrania continua.

Hemicrania continua generally responds only to indomethacin 25-300 mg daily, which must be continued long term.

The following diagnostic criteria are given for hemicrania continua:

The cause of hemicrania continua is unknown.

When the symptoms of hemicrania continua are present, it's considered "diagnostic" if they respond completely to indomethacin.

Hemicrania continua is considered a primary headache disorder, meaning that it is not caused by another condition.

Hemicrania continua was first described in 1981; at that time around 130 cases were described in the literature.

Hemicrania continua 4.8.

A variant on hemicrania continua has also been described, in which the attacks may shift sides, although meeting the above criteria in all other respects.

Hemicrania continua (HC) is a persistent unilateral headache that responds to indomethacin.

Complete response to therapeutic doses of indomethacin, although cases of hemicrania continua that do not resolve with indomethacin treatment have been documented.

The International Headache Society's International Classification of Headache Disorders classifies hemicrania continua as a primary headache disorder.

The factor that allows hemicrania continua and its exacerbations to be differentiated from migraine and cluster headache is that hemicrania continua is completely responsive to indomethacin.