Headache: Difference between revisions

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imported>Robert Badgett
imported>Robert Badgett
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* Acute thunderclap headache. Prevalence of significant pathology is 40%<ref name="pmid16968852"/>
* Acute thunderclap headache. Prevalence of significant pathology is 40%<ref name="pmid16968852"/>
* New-onset or change in chronic headaches. Prevalence of significant pathology is 32%.<ref name="pmid16968852"/> This compares to a prevalence of significant pathology of 1% for patients with chronic headaches referred to a neurologist.<ref name="pmid15606567">{{cite journal |author=Sempere AP, Porta-Etessam J, Medrano V, ''et al'' |title=Neuroimaging in the evaluation of patients with non-acute headache |journal=Cephalalgia |volume=25 |issue=1 |pages=30–5 |year=2005 |pmid=15606567 |doi=10.1111/j.1468-2982.2004.00798.x |issn=}}</ref> Presumably the prevalence would be lower in primary care.
* New-onset or change in chronic headaches. Prevalence of significant pathology is 32%.<ref name="pmid16968852"/> This compares to a prevalence of significant pathology of 1% for patients with chronic headaches referred to a neurologist.<ref name="pmid15606567">{{cite journal |author=Sempere AP, Porta-Etessam J, Medrano V, ''et al'' |title=Neuroimaging in the evaluation of patients with non-acute headache |journal=Cephalalgia |volume=25 |issue=1 |pages=30–5 |year=2005 |pmid=15606567 |doi=10.1111/j.1468-2982.2004.00798.x |issn=}}</ref> Presumably the prevalence would be lower in primary care.
* Patients with [[human immunodeficiency virus]]. This is based on a [[clinical practice guideline]].<ref name="pmid11782746">{{cite journal |author= |title=Clinical policy: critical issues in the evaluation and management of patients presenting to the emergency department with acute headache |journal=Ann Emerg Med |volume=39 |issue=1 |pages=108–22 |year=2002 |pmid=11782746 |doi= |issn=}}</ref>
* Patients with [[human immunodeficiency virus]]. This is based on a [[clinical practice guideline]].<ref name="pmid11782746">{{cite journal |author= |title=Clinical policy: critical issues in the evaluation and management of patients presenting to the emergency department with acute headache |journal=Ann Emerg Med |volume=39 |issue=1 |pages=108–22 |year=2002 |pmid=11782746 |doi= |issn=|url=http://www.acep.org/WorkArea/showcontent.aspx?id=8802}}</ref>


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 14:29, 11 December 2007

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]