Headaches Flashcards

1
Q

Headache

Overview

A

A very common reason people seek medical attention.

Globally, the most common cause of neurologic disability.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Headache

Definition

A

Irritation of pain-sensitive intracranial structures, including dural sinuses; intracranial portions of the trigeminal, glossopharyngeal, vagus, and upper cervical nerves; large arteries; and venous sinuses.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Classification of Headache

A

3 major categories:

Primary Headache Syndromes

Secondary Headache Syndromes

Cranial Neuralgia Syndromes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Primary Headache Syndromes

A

Headache in the absence of exogenous cause.

  • Tension-type headache (most common)
  • Migraine (2nd most common cause of headache)
  • Trigeminal autonomic cephalgias – includes cluster headache
  • Primary stabbing headache (i.e., “Ice pick headache”)
    • Transient and localized stabs of pain in the head which last for a few seconds
    • Occur spontaneously in the absence of organic disease of underlying structures or of the cranial nerves
  • Primary thunderclap headache
    • High-intensity headache of abrupt onset in the absence of any intracranial pathology
    • Mimics ruptured cerebral aneurysm
  • Primary headache associated with sex or exercise
  • Cold-stimulus headache
    • Due to external application, ingestion, or inhalation of a cold stimulus (ex. very cold weather or eating ice cream)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Secondary Headache Syndromes

A

A long list of conditions can lead to secondary headaches:

  • Infection (most common cause of secondary headache)
    • Ex. sinusitis, meningitis, or abscess
    • Headache associated with systemic infection (accounts for almost ⅔ of secondary causes)
  • Post-traumatic (i.e. head injury) – acute or chronic
  • Vascular – Subarachnoid hemorrhage; vasculitis; or arterial dissection (carotid or vertebral)
  • Non-vascular – Brain tumor; Giant cell arteritis; Glaucoma; Idiopathic (benign) intracranial hypertension (previously called pseudotumor cerebri); low CSF pressure (post-LP or CSF leak)
  • Medication – Side effects (ex. nitrates) or withdrawal (ex. caffeine)
  • Disordered homeostasis – Hypoxia or hypercapnia (ex. obstructive sleep apnea); dialysis-associated headache; hypoglycemia
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Cranial Neuralgia Syndromes

A

Injury or inflammation of cranial nerves causing headache.

Includes trigeminal neuralgia and post-herpetic neuralgia.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Tension-type Headache

Epidemiology

A
  • Most common cause of headache overall
  • Occurs in all age groups
  • Anyone can get a tension headache
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Tension-type Headache

Characteristics

A
  • Pain is steady and non-pulsatile
    • Often described as “pressure” or “band-like”
    • Mild to moderate in intensity
  • Bilateral - frontal, occipital, or generalized location
  • Often associated with neck pain
  • Pain can last for days
    • Builds slowly and fluctuates
    • Can be episodic or chronic (>15 days per month)
  • Generally, no associated sx such as aura, nausea/vomiting, photophobia/phonophobia, etc.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Tension-type Headache

Pathophysiology

A
  • Incompletely understood
  • Thought to be a disorder of CNS pain modulation
  • ? Genetic component
  • No definitive evidence that tension is the etiology
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Tension-type Headache

Clinical Management

A
  • Diagnosis
    • Based on history and symptoms
  • Treatment
    • Behavioral approaches including relaxation
    • Physiologic approaches - cervical or dental alignment or correction of vision
    • Analgesics – acetaminophen, aspirin, NSAIDs, or muscle relaxants
    • Prevention – tricyclic antidepressant amitriptyline is only proven agent
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Migraine

Epidemiology

A
  • 2nd most common cause of headache
  • Most common cause of neurologic related disability
  • Female predominance
  • Begins at any age from early childhood and later
    • Peak age of onset is adolescence through early adulthood
    • Onset after age 50 is rare
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Migraine

Factors

A

Complex neurovascular disorder involving:

  • Genetic factors
  • Non-genetic components
  • Interictal traits (not comparable)
  • Peripheral and central CNS involvement
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Migraine Definition

ICHD-2

A

At least 5 attacks fulfilling criteria below:

  • Headache lasts 4-72 hours if untreated
  • Headache has at least two of the following:
    • Unilateral
    • Moderate or severe
    • Aggravated by routine activity
    • Pulsating
  • During the headache at least one of the following:
    • Nausea and/or vomiting
    • Photophobia and phonophobia
    • Not attributed to another disorder
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Typical Aura w/ Migraine Headache

ICHD-2

A

At least two attacks fulfilling criteria below:

  • Aura consisting of at least one of the following, but NO motor weakness:
    • Fully reversible visual sx (May have ⊕ or ⊖ features)
    • Fully reversible sensory sx
    • Fully reversible dysphasic speech disturbances
  • ≥ 2 of the following:
    • Homonymous visual sx or unilateral sensory sx
    • At least one aura sx develops gradually over ≥ 5 min
    • Each sx lasts ≥ 5 min & ≤ 60 min
  • Headache fulfilling criteria for Migraine Without Aura begins during the aura or follows aura within 60 minutes
  • Not attributed to another disorder
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Migraine-Associated Symptoms

A
  • Photophobia: ~75%
  • Phonophobia: ~ 70%
  • Nausea and vomiting: 50-55%
  • Osmophobia: ~ 40%
  • Aura: ~ 15-30%
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Auras

A
  • Stems from cortical spreading depression
    • Wave of excessive signaling across large areas of the brain ⇒ abnormal silence in the previously overactive areas
    • Spreading moves across the cortex at the rate of 2-3 mm/min
  • May correlate w/ observed changes in blood flow
  • In pts w/o aura, a wave of neuronal hyperexcitability resembling cortical spreading depression might take place in subcortical regions
17
Q

Trigeminal Neurons

Involvement in Migraine

A
  • Neurons carry pain signals from meninges & blood vessels that infuse the membranes
  • Pain relayed through trigeminal network → trigeminal nucleus in the brain stem
  • Pain messages conveyed from there → thalamus → sensory cortex
18
Q

Migraine Initiation

Cortical Origin

A
  • Cortical spreading depression triggered by neurons prone to hyperexcitability
  • Those neurons release substances that activate trigeminal nerves, which send pain signals to the trigeminal nucleus in the brain stem
  • The trigeminal nucleus conveys the signals to the thalamus, which relays them to the sensory cortex, involved in the sensation of pain
19
Q

Migraine Initiation

Brainstem Origin

A
  • Abnormal brainstem activity ⇒ spreading depression in cortex or subcortex ⇒ trigeminal system activation
  • Specifically, raphe nucleus, locus coeruleus and periaqueductal gray
  • Brain stem misbehavior can also independently activate pain pathways leading to the sensory cortex
20
Q

Migraines

Source of the Pain Signal

A
  • Early in the attack, vasoactive peptides released from primary sensory nerve terminals
  • Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and substance P
  • Peptides activate perivascular trigeminal nerves
    • 1st order neurons terminate in the trigeminal nucleus
    • 2nd order in the thalamus
    • 3rd order in the cortex
21
Q

Migraine

Vascular Theory

A

Now considered an epiphenomenon neither necessary nor sufficient for the sx

Based on 3 observations:

  • Extracranial vessels become distended or pulsatile during migraine
  • Stimulation of cranial vessels induces an attack
  • Vasoconstrictors such triptans/dihydroergotamine improve headache

More recent studies indicate that blood flow ∆’s do not correlate w/ the pain of migraine

22
Q

Cluster Headache

Epidemiology

A
  • Relatively uncommon: ~ 0.1% of patients with headache
  • Male predominance (3x more in men)
  • Onset usually in adults
    • Later in life compared to migraine
    • Rarely occurs in childhood
  • Family history less common compared to migraine
  • Often precipitated by alcohol
23
Q

Cluster Headache

Characteristics

A
  • Pain is intensestabbing or boring; non-fluctuating
    • Strictly unilateral, location is usually retro-orbital
    • Explosive in onset and excruciating in severity
    • Duration of pain is 15 minutes to a few hours
  • Headaches often occur in “clusters
    • Typically 1-2 attacks daily for 8-10 weeks
    • Followed by intermittent headache-free periods which can last several months to years
  • Nocturnal onset in 50%
    • Occurs 2-3 hours after onset of sleep – “alarm-clock headache”
  • Patients may seek activity to distract them – pacing, rocking, or rubbing head
24
Q

Cluster Headache Definition

ICHD-2

A

At least 5 attacks

  • Severe unilateral orbital, supraorbital and or temporal pain lasting 15-180 minutes
  • Occurs w/ one of following:
    • Ipsilateral conjunctival injection
    • Lacrimation
    • Nasal congestion
    • Rhinorrhea
    • Eyelid edema
    • Facial sweating
    • Miosis
    • Ptosis
    • Restlessness/agitation
  • Attack frequency of 1 every other day to 8 per day
  • Not attributed to another cause
25
Cluster Headache Associated Symptoms
**Ipsilateral sx of cranial parasympathetic autonomic activation:** * Congestion of nasal mucosa * Conjunctival injection or lacrimation * Ipsilateral sweating on the forehead * Horner syndrome (miosis, ptosis, plus eyelid edema)
26
Cluster Headache Pathophysiology
Seems to be a disorder of **central pacemaker neurons** and **neurons in posterior hypothalamic region**
27
Cluster Headache Diagnosis
_Based on description of symptoms:_ * Cyclic pattern and length * Differential is short-lasting headaches w/o prominent cranial autonomic symptoms (ex. trigeminal neuralgia or primary stabbing headache) * Patients with TAC should undergo pituitary evaluation due to increase in TAC-type presentations in those with pituitary tumor-related headache
28
Cluster Headache Treatment
* _Acute treatment_ * **100% oxygen is very effective in many** * High flow and high oxygen content (Ex. given by mask) * 60% ♀ vs. 87% ♂ respond to O2 within 15 min * **Triptan agent nasal sprays** can be used (oral sumatriptan is not effective) * **Sumatriptan 6 mg SC** * 74% w/ relief by 15 min vs. 26% placebo * **DHE-45 IV** * **Lidocaine 4% Nasal** * **Noninvasive vagus nerve stimulation** is FDA approved * _Prevention_ * Multiple medications can be used depending on the length of the individual’s cluster bout * Shorter bouts may benefit from **glucocorticoids** * Calcium channel blocker **verapamil** is first-line preventive for those with chronic cluster headaches or prolonged cluster bouts * **Neuromodulation therapy** is an option for prevention if medications don’t work
29
Headache Characteristics Comparison
30
Headache Evaluation History
* **Duration of symptoms** * Initial symptom description - **intermittent, daily, progressive**? * Length of time between onset and peak intensity * **Any warning symptoms (aura)** * Any significant interference with normal activity * **Aggravating factors** (light, noise, etc.) * **Alleviating factors** (rest, medication, etc.) * **Time of day** headaches are most likely to occur - awaken patient from sleep? * Specific **triggers** for headache (food, lack of sleep, menstrual cycle) * **Family history** of headaches * Need to also consider the **psychological state of the patient** * There can be a relationship between headache and depression and anxiety
31
Headache Evaluation “Alarm Findings”
_In new-onset headache suggests structural brain lesion:_ * **Sudden-onset** headache * **First severe** headache or “**the** **worst headache** **of my life**” * **Progressively worsening** symptoms over days or weeks * **Marked exacerbation with straining** (Ex. bending, lifting, coughing) * Headache that d**isturbs sleep or presents immediately with awakening** * Known systemic illness * Onset of headache **over age 55 years** * **Fever** or other unexplained systemic signs are present * **Focal neurologic complaints** or **abnormal neurologic examination** are present * **Vomiting precedes the headache** * Pain is associated with **local tenderness** (Ex. tender to palpation over the temporal artery)
32
Headache Evaluation Exam and Tests
* **Careful neurologic examination is crucial** * **Imaging is required for those with an abnormal exam or concerning symptoms** (ex. alarm findings) * CT and MRI are both reasonable options * Lumbar puncture (LP) is required in some cases