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Evaluation and Treatment of Primary Headache
Syndromes
Headache can be a frustrating and worrisome disorder
for the patient and physician alike. This review of diagnostic procedures
and criteria will help you provide efficient and effective evaluation
and treatment of primary headache syndromes.
By James Calabro, MD, and Kelly Anne Foley,
MD
| Dr. Calabro is a resident in
emergency medicine and Dr. Foley is an assistant professor of
emergency medicine at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk,
Virginia. |
For physicians, headaches can be among the most difficult disorders
to treat. Afraid of missing an occult hemorrhage or being taken
in by a patient reporting false symptoms in an attempt to obtain
dangerous drugs, many clinicians approach management of headaches
with trepidation. With proper understanding of the primary headache
syndromes and firm criteria to determine which patients require
further diagnostic testing, however, treatment of headaches can
be efficient and effective. In this article, we will discuss proper
diagnostic procedures and therapeutic methods of alleviating patient
suffering.
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Major Public Health Problem
In our society, headaches are a major public health problem. According
to Rasmussen and colleagues, the clinical prevalence of any type
of headache in an industrial society is 69% among men and 88% among
women (Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, vol. 44, p. 1147, 1991).
As a socioeconomic burden in developed countries, headache ranks
only behind dementia and stroke. The economic costs of headache
can be attributed not only to lost days at work but also-and even
to a greater degree-to decreased effectiveness while at work.
In 1988, the International Headache Society (IHS) published guidelines
to classify headaches (Cephalalgia, vol. 8 [suppl. 7], p. 1, 1988).
Similar to the classification protocol outlined in the Diagnostic
and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM
IV) for psychiatric diagnoses, the IHS guidelines provide a numbering
system and criteria that must be met to declare a diagnosis of a
specific type of headache. These criteria have helped eliminate
the potential for confusion among researchers and clinicians, who
often use different names for the same type of headache syndrome
in their communications and in their research.
In practical terms, headache syndromes can be classified as either
primary or secondary. Primary headaches can be classified as pure
headache syndromes-that is, they are self-originating and are not
triggered or produced by other disorders. They include tension,
migraine, and cluster headaches. Secondary headaches, of which there
are many types, occur as a symptom of other disorders, such as intracranial
neoplasm, meningitis, or subarachnoid hemorrhage.
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Medical and Headache History
The information gained from physical examination of patients with
headache symptoms is clearly inferior to that obtained in a thorough
medical history. With few exceptions, the history will be the main
determinant of diagnostic testing and the course of treatment.
Obtaining the history. The patient's
medical history should be obtained with a focus on the headache
history, which will often aid the practitioner more than any other
part of the medical history. The history begins with a description
of the headache, which includes the type of pain and its intensity,
onset, location, duration, and progression. The diagnosis will be
aided by a specific description, such as one that differentiates
between a throbbing pain and a boring, excruciating pain.
Although nonspecific, the location of the pain may help narrow
the diagnosis. Unilateral pain, for example, is associated mostly
with cluster headaches, whereas bilateral pain is linked most often
to tension headaches. Noting the severity of the pain during the
initial examination is also essential, so that the results of treatment
can be properly assessed in later examinations.
In the evaluation of a headache, stress is placed on its presentation,
which, like its location, can narrow the diagnosis. A headache that
begins and evolves slowly, for example, suggests a tension headache,
whereas one that appears as a "thunderclap" points to a subarachnoid
hemorrhage. The duration of a headache episode can indicate the
severity of a presentation, thereby narrowing further the differential
diagnosis. Short-lasting episodes of headache pain with acute onset
may indicate cluster headache, for example, and chronic headache
syndromes more often are associated with such structural disorders
as tumors and slow subdural hemorrhage.
Common misconception regarding tumors.
Traditionally, the progression of headache pain throughout the day
has been emphasized, but it should not lead the physician to rule
out certain diagnoses. A common misconception is that headaches
associated with tumor are more common in the morning upon waking.
In a recent study, however, headaches were associated with brain
tumors in only 50% of patients, and of those patients, only 33%
had a headache that was worse upon waking.
More beneficial to the diagnosis is a history of cephalalgia increasing
in response to physical activity. The intensity of tension headaches,
according to the IHS criteria, should not change during physical
activity. In contrast, migraines can be exacerbated by activity.
Headaches associated with tumor commonly worsen when a person bends
over or performs the Valsalva maneuver. One third of patients who
have a tumor have increasing pain when performing these maneuvers.
The diagnosis of migraine headache can be suggested even further
by a history of prodromal symptoms, such as yawning, malaise, or
irritability; aura; or the symptoms that occur after an attack has
passed (known as the postdrome), such as excessive sleep or emotional
disturbance. Finally, a recent history of trauma is a key indicator
in determining the necessity of imaging studies.
Additional signs and triggers.
Associated symptoms are important in the headache history. Eye pain,
loss of visual acuity, or blindness, for example, can suggest a
secondary headache caused by temporal arteritis, pseudotumor cerebri,
or acute angle-closure glaucoma. Neck pain, rash, or fever are alarming
signs that warrant immediate testing and treatment for possible
meningitis. Focal neurologic disorders such as numbness, weakness,
dysarthria, or dysphagia suggest the occurrence of stroke. Seizures
and loss of consciousness strongly suggest the presence of a structural
lesion.
The dietary and medicinal history is also
important. Caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, and foods containing
tyramine are associated with migraine headaches. Many recreational
drugs, such as cocaine, are also associated with headaches. Most
patients with a history of migraine headaches are able to report
the foods and substances that trigger their headache and may admit
to a history of willingly ingesting them. In addition, because sleep
disturbances or lack of sleep can cause headaches, an evaluation
of a patient's sleep habits is important to the diagnosis.
The medicinal history should include the medications that have
been both effective and ineffective in treating headache symptoms.
The possibility that the headache is actually caused by withdrawal
from medications taken for headache-referred to as medication rebound
headache-should be included in the differential diagnosis of patients
who have chronic headaches and take a heavy load of therapeutic
pain medications. It is also important to note any previous neurologic
examinations and imaging studies to avoid unnecessary repetition
of these expensive tests.
The general history should note any previous episodes of seizure,
neoplasm, psychiatric disturbance, hypertension, and stroke, and
the patient's risk of diabetes should be assessed. A history of
surgical procedures such as shunt placement or any neurosurgical
procedure is also important.
It is highly probable that an accurate diagnosis could be derived
from the medical history, but the ability to make such an assessment
does not eliminate the necessity for an appropriate physical examination.
For a patient reporting a headache, the basic focused physical examination
should include evaluation of vital signs; a complete HEENT examination,
including an evaluation of the fundi; and a neurologic examination.
Of course, a more extensive evaluation may be necessary, depending
on the findings.
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Diagnostic Testing
The pivotal question for most physicians during their evaluation
of a patient's headache symptoms is knowing when more extensive
diagnostic testing, such as lumbar puncture, computed tomography
(CT), or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), is necessary. Clearly,
to employ these adjunctive diagnostic procedures for every patient
presenting with a headache would be economically unfeasible and
a poor use of resources. Indeed, as Evans has found, the chance
of finding a brain tumor on a CT scan of a patient who presents
with a headache and no neurologic findings is 0.8% (Neurologic Clinics,
vol. 14, p. 1, 1996). As we have noted earlier, however, specific
clues from the patient's medical and headache history can indicate
when such an approach is appropriate and necessary and can therefore
guide the direction of the clinical and physical examination (see
table, below).
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Evaluating
Headache Syndromes with Invasive Testing and Imaging Studies
Lumbar puncture or CT or MRI scanning may be
necessary when any of the following are present or noted:
- Headache occurring in patients witha suppressed immune
system
- Most intense/painful headache the patient has ever experienced
- Any subacute headache occurring with changing pattern
or intensity
- Any headache associated with neurologic deficits
- Headaches appearing for the first time after age 50
- Headache occuring with fever or stiff neck
- Headaches associated with papilledema or cognitive deficit
- History of recent head trauma and evidence of acute change
in mental status, focal neurologic deficit, or progressive
global symptoms or high risk for bleeding (e.g. elderly
patients receiving anticoagulant drugs and those with coagulation
disorders)
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The diagnosis of subarachnoid hemorrhage, in particular, is a special
situation. Usually, the most expedient testing method is the CT
scan. It is only 92% sensitive, however, in detecting subarachnoid
hemorrhage if the bleeding occurred within the 24 hours before presentation.
This rate drops to 58% five days after the incident.
These results reveal the importance of lumbar puncture in the evaluation
of all patients in whom a subarachnoid hemorrhage is suspected and
for whom results of a CT scan of the head are negative. The sensitivity
of lumbar puncture approaches 100% one to five days after the hemorrhage
when photospectrometry is used to detect xanthochromia in the fluid
sample. Because a lumbar puncture can precipitate brain herniation
and death in the presence of increased intracranial pressure, a
CT scan is warranted before the lumbar puncture is performed.
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Tension Headache
The tension headache is commonly called a muscle contraction headache
or stress headache. The IHS has attempted to switch the name of
this syndrome to tension-type headache because the actual cause
of the disorder has not been confirmed.
In the past, muscle contraction was thought to cause inflammation
that in turn led to headache pain, but studies have never been able
to confirm this hypothesis. We do know, however, that the tension
type of headache is the most common primary headache; lifetime prevalence
is approximately 80% in the general population. The tension headache
is more common in women, and its prevalence among a population is
proportionately linked to that group's education and income.
Features of tension headache. Tension
headaches are indicated by pain exhibiting at least two of the following
characteristics: a pressing/tightening (nonpulsating) quality; mild
or moderate intensity; bilateral location; and an absence of response
to physical exertion or routine physical activity. Other diagnostic
criteria include the absence of nausea and vomiting and evidence
of either phonophobia or photophobia, but not both (see table, below).

Treatment. A caring approach to
treatment will enhance a patient's satisfaction. The headache sufferer
should be informed of the benefits that can be derived from reductions
in stress and lifestyle changes that would decrease the frequency
and intensity of headache episodes. Initial emergency treatment
can begin with aspirin, acetaminophen, or nonsteroidal antiinflammatory
drugs (NSAIDs). Some headache medications contain caffeine, which
can increase the effectiveness of acetaminophen and aspirin. If
overused, however, these drugs can produce caffeine withdrawal headaches.
If symptoms still are not resolved after such therapy, an outpatient
regimen may be tried, consisting of an analgesic/ sedative combination
in very small amounts. If symptoms persist, an entire reassessment
may be necessary, including further diagnostic studies or neurologic
referral.
In treating tension headaches, physicians often prescribe narcotics,
which in almost all cases are unnecessary. Strong narcotics in particular
are an unacceptable choice, because tension headaches, by definition,
produce only mild-to-moderate pain. In such situations, physicians
should be suspicious when a patient asks for narcotic treatment;
such a request suggests drug abuse. If narcotic therapy appears
warranted in the treatment of what was thought to be a tension headache,
then that diagnosis should be reassessed.
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Migraine Headaches
Migraine headaches have been extensively researched but the details
of their pathogenesis remain enigmatic. Recent research points to
both vascular and neurogenically mediated causes that can, in combination
or individually, precipitate a migraine headache. The two most common
types are migraine with aura (classic) and migraine without aura
(common). The migraine with aura is actually more rare than a headache
without aura. Roughly 80% of migraine headaches have no component
of aura.
Stages of a migraine headache.
The aura is actually only one of five possible phases that migraine
sufferers describe. These phases consist of the prodrome, the aura,
the headache itself, headache termination, and a postdromal phase.
In some patients, not all of these phases may appear, and in others,
stages may occur simultaneously.
The prodromal stage, which is often a term used by clinicians synonymously
with aura, is actually a separate stage. The prodrome is a physical
warning of a headache that will begin within hours or days. The
symptoms that accompany this stage may be described as an emotional
change, such as euphoria or a feeling of dread of an imminent headache.
Other prodromal symptoms include photophobia or osmophobia. The
prodromal presentation can be variable and is very specific to each
person.
An aura, however, consists of focal neurologic symptoms that evolve
quickly, usually in minutes. These can include changes in visual
acuity, perception of auras or halos around light sources, or visual
field deficits. The symptoms of an aura usually last less than one
hour. It is classically a visual phenomenon but it can be a motor
or sensory disturbance as well. The headache phase and headache
termination phase are self-explanatory. The postdrome is similar
to the prodrome in that it usually includes a nonspecific emotional
or physical change, often associated with tiredness or weakness.
Migraine with aura. When an aura,
which is a neurologic disturbance, is present, the diagnosis of
a migraine becomes more involved. A typical migraine may produce
homonymous visual disturbances-rainbow halos may appear around light
sources, for example-and unilateral paresthesia, numbness, weakness,
or aphasia. A migraine headache accompanied by an aura is indicated
by at least three of the four following phenomena: one or more fully
reversible symptoms of aura indicating cerebral or cortical brainstem
dysfunction; aura symptoms developing gradually over a period of
more than four minutes or two or more symptoms occurring in succession;
all aura symptoms lasting less than 60 minutes; and a headache occurring
at the same time as the aura or within 60 minutes of it.
When a true organic injury is suspected, diagnostic testing must
focus first on that possibility and its causes before a diagnosis
of migraine with aura can be made.
Migraine without aura. According
to the IHS, a migraine headache without aura is defined by pain
exhibiting two of the following qualities: unilateral location,
pulsation, moderate-to-severe intensity, or susceptibility to aggravation
by physical activity. Each episode must include nausea with or without
vomiting or be accompanied by photophobia or phonophobia, but not
both. The IHS guidelines also emphasize that before the diagnosis
of migraine can be made, all types of secondary headache must be
ruled out and the patient history should include at least five attacks
that fulfill the criteria explained above. This last requirement
is often not met when patients seek emergency treatment, but such
an oversight should not prevent or limit appropriate therapy for
patients with suspected migraine.
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Treatment of Migraine Headache
Treatment of symptoms begins with making the patient comfortable.
The patient usually desires a darkened, quiet area. Warm or cool
compresses may be applied as well. Intravenous fluid administration
can be beneficial for patients who are dehydrated from nausea and
vomiting. Antiemetic therapy is also beneficial and may even be
the reason a patient seeks treatment. Approximately 80% of patients
with migraine have nausea and vomiting at some point during their
attack. Affording a patient these comforts can help engender a feeling
of respect and trust for the physician.
Medications for treatment of migraine headache have been extensively
studied. Medical therapy should follow a stepwise approach on the
basis of each patient's medical history and results of physical
examination. For example, the administration of over-the-counter
medications such as NSAIDs and acetaminophen makes little sense
if a patient has already tried them. Likewise, if a patient's symptoms
include nausea or vomiting, a phenothiazine may be effective in
treating both the gastrointestinal distress and the headache. Accordingly,
if a patient knows of a successful treatment regimen that falls
within reasonable treatment guidelines-that is, it does not include
heavy doses of narcotics-you should attempt to accommodate him or
her.
Of course, when prescribing or administering any drug, physicians
must be fully aware of the possible adverse effects, which can certainly
cause more harm than the headache itself.
Simple analgesics and NSAIDs. Simple
analgesics such as acetaminophen and aspirin are commonly given
for headache pain, but when they are administered after an emergency
evaluation of a patient with migraine, it is important to determine
the amount already taken by the patient at home to prevent iatrogenic
overdose. The risk of liver injury and subsequent liver failure
in patients who take excessive amounts of acetaminophen is widely
known, as are the toxic effects associated with aspirin and NSAID
overdose.
The IHS guidelines require the headache to be of moderate to severe
intensity to qualify as a migraine headache. This criterion places
the disorder beyond the scope of medications traditionally given
for mild-to-moderate pain. Aspirin and acetaminophen can be more
effective with the addition of caffeine or a mild sedative. This
combination of medications has been relatively successful in reducing
and even eliminating the pain of migraine. Recent research has shown
that intravenous administration of 30 mg of ketorolac is an effective
treatment for migraine (Academic and Emergency Medicine, vol. 5,
p. 573, 1998).
Opioid agents. Results of studies
by Lane and colleagues and Belgrade and colleagues, among others,
indicated that opioids are relatively ineffective in treating migraine
(Annals of Emergency Medicine, vol. 18, p. 360, 1989; Neurology,
vol. 590, p. 39, 1989). Numerous other drugs are available that
are specifically tailored to the pathogenesis of migraine headache
and have a more favorable adverse effect profile. Opioids may be
appropriate in situations in which their efficacy rate clearly exceeds
that of less addictive medications. Narcotics are usually limited
to a "rescue" role in circumstances in which other regimens have
failed. Again, a specific request for narcotic agents should arouse
the physician's suspicion for malingering and abuse.
Ergotamine and dihydroergotamine. Ergotamine
and dihydroergotamine (DHE) are members of the ergot alkaloid family
of drugs. The pharmacologic action of these medications is based
on their 5-HT-receptor agonist ability. Although vasoconstriction
was once thought to be the primary mechanism in effective migraine
treatment, new research has shown that suppression of neurologic
inflammatory responses and neuron conduction may play a more significant
role.
Because of the risk of severe adverse effects, ergotamine and DHE
should not be given to patients who are pregnant or who have uncontrolled
hypertension, coronary or peripheral vascular disease, thyrotoxicosis,
or sepsis. Ergotamine, while effective in treating migraine, produces
significant adverse effects that include nausea and vomiting.
Since the 1940s DHE has been a favored option, because it produces
fewer gastrointestinal effects and significantly less vasoconstriction
and is a more potent alpha-blocker. The drug has a very favorable
efficacy rate in reducing migraine headache pain. It also is associated
with a very low frequency of rebound headaches, an effect that is
probably linked to the long half-life of the ergotamines. The newer
triptan class of antimigraine drugs has a shorter half-life and
thus a higher frequency of administration and rebound effects.
Because DHE has a more favorable adverse effect profile, it should
be the first choice of the ergot alkaloids. Dihydroergotamine can
be given in numerous formulations but is most effective when administered
in an intravenous dose. Because DHE can increase nausea and vomiting,
antiemetic therapy, such as 10 mg of intravenous metoclopramide,
and intravenous hydration are recommended before treatment with
DHE.
Dihydroergotamine therapy should always begin with a 0.5-mg test
dose given over two to three minutes. If no significant adverse
events occur after 10 minutes, then a second dose of 0.5 mg may
be given. A total dose of 1 mg is usually very effective for most
patients with migraine. A nasal preparation of DHE is also effective
and can completely resolve migraine headache in 50% of patients;
it has a 24-hour headache relapse rate of 15%.
The triptans. Some of the adverse
effects of ergotamine and its derivatives limit the number of patients
who can use them safely. This profile has prompted a search for
safer medications, which has produced a new class of drugs, the
triptans. These drugs are serotonin-receptor agonists that abort
the headache by producing cerebral vasoconstriction and exerting
control over the neurohormonal milieu. Currently, naratriptan, rizatriptan,
sumatriptan, and zolmitriptan are being heavily marketed specifically
for the treatment of migraine. Although these medications are effective,
they are associated with a higher rate of headache relapse than
are the ergot alkaloids.
The efficacy rates associated with the triptans range from 60%
(oral and nasal sumatriptan) to as high as 77% (rizatriptan), whereas
those associated with placebo range from 26% to 40%. Although triptan
agents are more effective than the ergot alkaloids, the rate of
headache recurrence associated with them is 2.5 times higher. Dooley
and Faulds found that 45% of those who received the drugs had a
relapse within 24 hours, compared with 18% of those who received
DHE (Drugs, vol. 58, p. 699, 1999). Such a response is a significant
impediment to treatment, the goal of which is not only to provide
symptomatic relief but also to eliminate the headache.
In addition, the triptans sometimes produce adverse effects that
can interfere with expedient patient management, such as transient
chest pain. Although usually insignificant, such pain must be taken
seriously, because myocardial infarction has been caused by these
drugs, albeit rarely. Triptan agents should not be administered
to patients who have a cardiac history or significant cardiac risk,
and they should not be taken within 24 hours of DHE administration.
In patients taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs),
triptans may trigger a serotonin interaction syndrome that includes
flushing, weakness, and incoordination. As with other drugs, physicians
find that only a limited number of patients can use these drugs
safely.
Prochlorperazine. Recent studies
have shown that the efficacy rate associated with prochlorperazine
makes that drug an attractive alternative to the medications discussed
so far. In the treatment of acute headaches including both tension
and migraine, the rate can be as high as 74%. Prochlorperazine has
not been studied extensively in the treatment of migraine headache,
but preliminary trials show the rate at which complete relief of
pain from migraine was attained was 32%, whereas the rate associated
with placebo was 7%. With its low propensity to cause adverse effects,
prochlorperazine, in a 10-mg intravenous dose, is a reasonable alternative,
especially when contraindications rule out the triptans and the
complications associated with the ergot alkaloids must be avoided.
Dystonic reactions are occasionally produced, but occur at a rate
of approximately 0.7%. Such reactions can be prevented by concomitant
administration of an intravenous 25- to 50-mg dose of diphenhydramine.
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Cluster Headache
Cluster headaches occur rarely and are the most commonly misdiagnosed
headaches. The cluster headache occurs in 0.4% of the population,
and the ratio of men to women among affected persons is nine to
one. These headaches usually occur in early adulthood, between 20
and 40 years of age. They tend to come in eerily regular cycles.
A headache can occur daily for weeks or months, after which follows
a period of relief that extends to months or years. The pain of
a cluster headache is considered one of the worst ordeals that a
person can experience. In fact, the cluster headache is sometimes
referred to as the suicide headache.
Clinical signs of cluster headache.The
pain of a cluster headache is most often unilateral and located
behind the eye. Maximal pain intensity occurs within 10 to 15 minutes.
The episode can last from 15 minutes to 2 hours and is often associated
with physical findings ipsilateral to the location of the pain.
Ipsilateral ptosis, edema, conjunctivitis, rhinorrhea, and lacrimation
often occur. The headaches seem to correlate with the onset of the
REM phase of sleep, and patients will often make attempts to stay
awake for extended periods to avoid them. Patients with cluster
headaches are often so agitated by the pain that they can not stay
still and may be found standing or pacing in the examining room.
The headaches can be triggered by alcohol (only during cluster periods),
vasodilating medications, and sleep apnea-induced hypoxemia.
As with the other primary headache syndromes, diagnosis of cluster
headache is made on the basis of clinical findings. The key difference
between this headache syndrome and migraine is the short duration
of each episode, the autonomic effects it causes, and the absence
of nausea, vomiting, and photophobia.
Treatment of cluster headache. The
acute nature and rapid resolution of the cluster headache does not
make the disorder amenable to treatment with oral medications. The
primary treatment for cluster headaches is oxygen therapy. Oxygen
should be given at 7 L/min for 10 minutes. A response rate of 60%
to 70% is expected with oxygen therapy alone.
Sumatriptan in a subcutaneous dose of 6 mg is also effective in
the treatment of cluster headache. A therapeutic effect is seen
in five minutes and is associated with a relief rate of 74%, compared
with 26% for placebo. Topical intranasal lidocaine drops are also
effective. With the patient's head tilted back, 1 cc of 4% lidocaine
is placed in the ipsilateral nostril.
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Secondary Headaches: True Emergencies
The secondary headache syndromes are underlying disease states
of which the headache is a symptom. There are only a few true emergencies
in the treatment of headache. These are secondary headaches that
are produced by a pathologic disorder that can cause rapid and irreversible
effects, including permanent loss of function, such as sight, or
even death. Such disorders include subarachnoid hemorrhage, temporal
arteritis, and bacterial meningitis.
As mentioned earlier, a brief primary survey of a patient presenting
with headache should be performed immediately to discern the presence
of these three disorders. Once they have been ruled out, the physician
can move toward the alleviation of pain and determine proper disposition
for the patient.
Temporal arteritis. Also known
as giant cell arteritis, temporal arteritis is seen most often in
patients older than 50 years of age and frequently coexists with
polymyalgia rheumatica. The disease is a systemic panarteritis that
affects the medium and large vessels. The temporal artery is one
of the most common arteries affected. Temporal arteritis can cause
permanent blindness if not treated with steroids immediately. The
blindness is caused by the occlusion of the posterior ciliary branch
of the ophthalmic artery. The disease should be suspected when any
patient presents with headache, scalp tenderness, visual symptoms,
jaw claudication, or throat pain.
The temporal artery often appears normal on examination, including
palpation, visual inspection, and auscultation for bruits. Often,
funduscopic changes do not occur until 24 to 48 hours after onset
of blindness. Again, steroid therapy must be given immediately;
prednisone at a dosage of 40 to 60 mg a day is the usual choice.
An immediate referral for temporal artery biopsy is also required.
Subarachnoid hemorrhage. Subarachnoid
hemorrhage should be suspected in persons who present with a sudden
onset of severe headache. Nausea, vomiting, and meningeal signs
with progression to obtundation are also common. Immediate neurosurgical
consultation is required, as is immediate treatment to reduce increased
intracranial pressure.
Meningitis. Any patient who has
a headache associated with a fever and meningeal signs should undergo
a lumbar puncture to rule out meningitis, a secondary cause of headache.
All physicians who provide emergency treatment should be readily
prepared to perform and skilled in the technique of lumbar puncture.
Symptoms of meningitis include nuchal rigidity and the presence
of Kernig and Brudzinki signs. Antibiotic therapy is a priority
for patients with these symptoms; however, even after rapid therapy
is administered, the risk of death and further illness is still
quite high.
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Suggested
Reading
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tumors: A study of 111 patients. Neurology 43:1678,
1993.
Jensen R: Pathophysiological mechanisms of tension-type headache:
A review of epidemiological and experimental studies. Cephalalgia
19:602, 1999.
Lance JW: Current concepts of migraine pathogenesis. Neurology
43(Suppl 3):S11, 1993.
Lipton R, et al.: Burden of migraine: Societal costs and
therapeutic opportunities. Neurology 48(Suppl 3):S4,
1997.
Lipton RB, et al. Efficacy and safety of acetaminophen, aspirin,
and caffeine in alleviating migraine headache pain: Three
double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trials. Arch
Neuorol 55:210, 1998.
Marks D and Rapoport A: Practical evaluation and diagnosis
of headache. Semin Neurol 17:307, 1997.
Mathew N: Cluster headache. Semin Neurol 17:313, 1997.
Moskowitz MA and Cutrer FM: Attacking migraine headache from
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New "Triptans" and Other Drugs For Migraine. The Medical
Letter On Drugs and Therapeutics. 40:97, 1998.
Silberstein SD: Evaluation and emergency treatment of headache.
Headache 32:396, 1992.
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