Headache: Difference between revisions

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Headache is defined as "the symptom of pain in the cranial region. It may be an isolated benign occurrence or manifestation of a wide variety of headache disorders."<ref name="title">{{cite web |url=http://www.nlm.nih.gov/cgi/mesh/2007/MB_cgi?term=headache |title=Headache |accessdate=2007-12-11 |author=National Library of Medicine |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |format= |work= |publisher= |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote=}}</ref>
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'''Headache''' is defined as "the symptom of pain in the cranial region. It may be an isolated benign occurrence or manifestation of a wide variety of headache disorders."<ref name="title">{{cite web |url=http://www.nlm.nih.gov/cgi/mesh/2007/MB_cgi?term=headache |title=Headache |accessdate=2007-12-11 |author=National Library of Medicine |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |format= |work= |publisher= |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote=}}</ref>


==Classification==
==Classification==
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==References==
==References==
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[[Category:CZ Live]] [[Category:Health Sciences Workgroup]]

Revision as of 15:57, 23 December 2007

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Headache is defined as "the symptom of pain in the cranial region. It may be an isolated benign occurrence or manifestation of a wide variety of headache disorders."[1]

Classification

Primary headaches

Primary headaches are defined as "conditions in which the primary symptom is headache and the headache cannot be attributed to any known causes."[1]

Migraine headache

For more information, see: Migraine headache.

Tension headache

Secondary headache

Secondary headaches are defined as "conditions with headache symptom that can be attributed to a variety of causes including brain vascular disorders; wounds and injuries; infection; drug use or its withdrawal."[1]

The role of overuse of medications for treating migraine (triptans, analgesics, ergots) and their withdrawal as a cause of headache is controversial.[2]

Diagnosis

X-ray computed tomography (CT Scan) should be considered if one of the following is present:[3]

  • cluster-type headache
  • abnormal findings on neurologic examination
  • undefined headache (ie, not cluster, migraine, or tension-type)
  • headache with aura
  • headache aggravated by exertion or a valsalva-like maneuver
  • headache with vomiting

CT scan should also be considered in the following settings:

  • Acute thunderclap headache. Prevalence of significant pathology is 40%[3]
  • New-onset or change in chronic headaches. Prevalence of significant pathology is 32%.[3] This compares to a prevalence of significant pathology of 1% for patients with chronic headaches referred to a neurologist.[4] Presumably the prevalence would be lower in primary care.
  • Patients with human immunodeficiency virus. This is based on a clinical practice guideline.[5]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 National Library of Medicine. Headache. Retrieved on 2007-12-11. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "title" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "title" defined multiple times with different content
  2. Bøe MG, Mygland A, Salvesen R (2007). "Prednisolone does not reduce withdrawal headache: a randomized, double-blind study". Neurology 69 (1): 26–31. DOI:10.1212/01.wnl.0000263652.46222.e8. PMID 17475943. Research Blogging.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Detsky ME, McDonald DR, Baerlocher MO, Tomlinson GA, McCrory DC, Booth CM (2006). "Does this patient with headache have a migraine or need neuroimaging?". JAMA 296 (10): 1274–83. DOI:10.1001/jama.296.10.1274. PMID 16968852. Research Blogging.
  4. Sempere AP, Porta-Etessam J, Medrano V, et al (2005). "Neuroimaging in the evaluation of patients with non-acute headache". Cephalalgia 25 (1): 30–5. DOI:10.1111/j.1468-2982.2004.00798.x. PMID 15606567. Research Blogging.
  5. (2002) "Clinical policy: critical issues in the evaluation and management of patients presenting to the emergency department with acute headache". Ann Emerg Med 39 (1): 108–22. PMID 11782746[e]