Headache Disorders Flashcards
What are the primary headaches
Migraines, Tension, Cluster
What are the secondary headaches
Substance, trauma, illness/infection, tumor
What are symptoms that suggest the headache is secondary (Hint: SNOOP)
S: Systemic symptoms or illness N: Neurologic symptoms (impaired consciousness, impaired cognition, impaired motor function) O: Onset (Sudden and abrupt) O: Older patients (age greater than 50 yrs old) P: Previous headache history (Develop after primary headache)
T/F: Primary headaches usually occur in patients age 18 to 40
True
What are diagnostic tests to check for a type of headache
CT scan, MRI, Labs
What are the two subclasses of migraines (prevelance)
With aura (30%), without aura (70%)
What is the pathophysiology of migraines
1) Slow wave of depolarization follwed by suppresion of brain activity
- Spreads to cause pain and possibly aura
2) Activation of trigeminovascular system
- Substance P, CGRP, and NKA causing inflammation in pain-sensitive meninges
3) Neuronal Sensitization
- Low tolerance for light or sound with more pain due to lower threshold
What are the criteria that must be present to diagnose a migraine WITHOUT aura
- Headache must last 4-72 hours
- Headache must have either 2 out of the 4 characteristics
- Unilateral location
- Pulsating quality
- Moderate or severe pain intensity
- Aggravation by or causing avoidance of routine physical activity
- During the headache 1 of the 2 events must occur
- Nausea/vomitting
- Photophobia and phonophobia
- Not attributed to any other disorder
- MUST BE 5 HEADACHES FULLFILLING THIS CRITERIA
What are are episodic migraines, chronic
Episodic: less than 15 monthly migrained days (MMDs)
Chronic: 15 or more monthly headaches days (MHDs) with at least 8 as MMDs
What are the criteria that must be present to dianose a migraine WITH aura
- One or more fully reversible aura symptoms
- Visual
- Sensory
- Speech and/or language
- Motor
- Brainstem
- Retinal
- At least 3 characteristics of the aura
- At least aura symptom spreads gradually over 5 minutes
- two or more aura symptoms occur insuccession
- Each inidvidual aura symptoms last 5-60 minutes
- At least one aura symptom is unilateral
- At least one aura symptoms is positive
- The aura is accompanied, or followed within 60 minutes, by headache
What are positive types of aura, negative, examples of aura
flashing or flickering lights, visual distortions/ partial loss of vision or blind spot with half vision lost
Visual distubances, temporary loss of sigh, numbness and tingling on part of the body
T/F: Patients usually have GI distress along with migraines
True
What are tools used to screen migraines, when is medication recommended in each score
MIDAS: Level 2/Mild disability (greater than 6)
HIT-6: Some impact (score greater than 50)
What is the difference between migraines and tension type headaches
Tension headaches are bilaterally and feels like a pressure with a headband formation with a mild to moderate pain not aggravated by routine physical activity (NO AURA)
If a patient has chronic tension-type heaches what is more likely to be the problem
Medication-induced, associated with a comorbidity