Headache and Facial Pain 1 Flashcards
Pain-Sensitive Structures
1) Venous sinuses and their tributaries (κλάδοι)
2) Dural and meningeal arteries, arteries at the base of the brain
3) Portions of the meninges
4) Upper cervical nerve roots
5) Scalp muscles and aponeurosis
Main pain-sensitive intracranial structure’s innervation
Trigeminovascular neurons mainly of the opthalmic division
Migraine Without Aura Criteria
- At least five attacks
- Headache attacks lasting 4-72 hours (unless succesfully treated)
- At least two of the following pain characteristics
i) Unilateral loccation
ii) Pulsating quality
iii) Moderate to severe intensity
iv) Aggrevated by or causes avoidance of routine physical activity - During headache at least one of the following
i) Nausea or vomiting
ii) Photophobia and phonophobia
Migraine With Aura Criteria
Percentage of migraine with and without aura
Migraine with aura 20%
Migraine without aura 80%
Migraine prevalence
Women 18%
Men 6%
Which is the most sensitive criterion for migraine?
Headache worsening with activity
Pathogenesis of migraine (1) pain (2) aura
1)
A) Cortical spreading depression:
Cortical spreading depression is a self-propagating wave of neuronal and glial depolarization that spreads across the cerebral cortex.
Cortical spreading depression is hypothesized to:
●Cause the aura of migraine
●Activate trigeminal nerve afferents
●Alter blood-brain barrier permeability
The activation of trigeminal afferents by cortical spreading depression in turn causes inflammatory changes in the pain-sensitive meninges that generate the headache of migraine through central and peripheral reflex mechanisms
(prolonged activation of trigeminal nociception, generates the pain of the migraine headache)
It has been suggested that migraine without aura may be caused by the occurrence of cortical spreading depression in areas of the brain (eg, cerebellum) where depolarization is not consciously perceived
B) Trigeminovascular system
The pathophysiology of migraine involves activation of the trigeminovascular system, which consists of small caliber pseudounipolar sensory neurons that originate from the trigeminal ganglion and upper cervical dorsal roots. These sensory neurons project to innervate large cerebral vessels, pial vessels, dura mater, and large venous sinuses. Most of the innervation of the anterior structures is via the ophthalmic division of the trigeminal nerve with a greater contribution of upper cervical roots to posterior structures.
From the trigeminal nucleus caudalis, fibers that are involved in the localization of pain ascend to the thalamus (mostly to the ventroposterior medial nucleus of the thalamus) and to the sensory cortex.
C) Stimulation of the trigeminal ganglion results in release of vasoactive neuropeptides, including substance P, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), and neurokinin A. Release of these neuropeptides is associated with the process of neurogenic inflammation. The two main components of this sterile inflammatory response are vasodilation (CGRP is a potent vasodilator) and plasma protein extravasation.
D) A self-sustaining process of further pain, inflammation, and sensitization of central trigeminal neurons occurs, with sensitization of glial cells in the periaqueductal gray, for which there appears to be a central generator, located in the rostral brainstem.
By the time these central structures become sensitized, they are activated independently of peripheral stimuli.
2) Migraineurs have a hyperexcitable cerebral cortex, which probably underlies migraine auras and the frequent comorbid depression, mania, and anxiety
Role of CGRP in migraine
CGRP appears to mediate
i) trigeminovascular pain transmission from intracranial vessels to the central nervous system
ii) the vasodilatory component of neurogenic inflammation
Is there genetic contribution in migraine?
Yes
8 percent of migraineurs have first-degree relatives with migraine.
Identical twins are twice as likely to have migraine
3 migraine genes have been identified all associated with familial hemiplegic migraine (rare)
The first three types of familial hemiplegic migraine (FHM) are channelopathies.
FHM1 is caused by variants of the CACNA1A gene,
FHM2 by variants of the ATP1A2 gene, and
FHM3 by variants of the SCN1A gene.
Variants of the PRRT2 gene also cause some cases of familial hemiplegic migraine.
Migraine prevention (non pharmacologic)
- Avoid oversleeping/ undersleeping
- Antimigraine diet
- Adequate hydration
- Avoid missing meals
- Minimize caffeine intake
- Control stress and psychiatric comorbidities
Can migraine cause neck pain or lacrimation/ rhinorrhea?
Yes
Migraine variants
Complications of migraine
Prolonged symptoms may last for the entire headache, for several days or weeks, or in some cases leave a permanent neurologic deficit.
1) Status migrainosus is a debilitating migraine attack lasting for more than 72 hours. The median attack duration is approximately five days.
It is more common among females than males and may occur in patients with migraine either with or without aura.
2) Persistent aura without infarction is defined by aura symptoms persisting for one week or more with no evidence of infarction on neuroimaging.
3) Migrainous infarction is defined by a migraine attack, occurring in a patient with migraine with aura, in which one or more aura symptoms persist for more than one hour and neuroimaging shows an infarction in a relevant brain area.
4) Migraine aura-triggered seizure is a seizure triggered by an attack of migraine with aura.
Vestibular migraine criteria
chronic migraine diagnostic criteria
Migraine: acute attack treatment
1) nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
2) acetaminophen
3) triptans
4) antiemetics
5) calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) antagonists
6) lasmiditan
7) dihydroergotamine
Noninvasive neuromodulation devices are typically used for patients who do not respond to or tolerate drug treatments and those who wish to avoid medications.
The selection of a specific agent depends on patient-specific factors including the severity and character of symptoms, comorbid conditions, and prior response to treatment.
Risk of medication overuse headache
- Highest with opioids, butalbital-containing combination analgesics, and aspirin-acetaminophen-caffeine combinations.
- The risk with triptans is considered intermediate by some experts but high by others.
- MOH may be avoided with some CGRP antagonists, which are effective for preventive as well as acute treatment of migraine
- The risk is lowest with NSAIDs, which may even be protective against the development of chronic migraine for patients who have less than 10 headache days per month.
Why is parenteral treatment prefered in acute migraine?
oral agents are less effective because of poor absorption secondary to migraine-induced gastric stasis and vomiting.
Symptomatic treatment of acute mild migraine attack
- Initial treatment with nonopioid analgesics, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and/or acetaminophen
- For patients unresponsive to nonopioid analgesics, we add a triptan
The combined use of an NSAID with a triptan is more effective than either agent alone.
Symptomatic treatment of moderate to severe migraine attack
- treatment with a triptan with or without a nonopioid analgesic (eg, naproxen sodium)
The combined use of a triptan and a nonopioid analgesic appears to be more effective than using either class alone - When attacks are associated with severe nausea or vomiting, we add an antiemetic and/or switch to a nonoral migraine-specific medication.
- Alternative options include calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) antagonists, lasmiditan, an antiemetic drug, and dihydroergotamine
Management of severe migraine in the emergency department
combination treatment that includes:
*Subcutaneous sumatriptan 6 mg and/or a parenteral antiemetic agent.
*Adjunctive diphenhydramine 25 mg, if IV metoclopramide or prochlorperazine are used, to prevent akathisia and other dystonic reactions.
*Adjunctive dexamethasone 4 mg (IV or IM) to reduce the risk of early headache recurrence
Alternative options include IV dihydroergotamine (DHE 45) combined with IV metoclopramide (for patients who have not receive a triptan within 24 hours), IV sodium valproate, or IM/IV ketorolac.
Status migrainosus management
a combination of intravenous fluids plus parenteral medications, including ketorolac and a dopamine receptor blocker (eg, prochlorperazine, metoclopramide, chlorpromazine)
Other options include valproate and/or dihydroergotamine; some patients may require admission for persistent disabling symptoms