Headaches Lecture Flashcards
Primary vs. Secondary headache disorders
Primary — have a pathomechanical process not caused by other diseases or disorders
Secondary — headaches caused by other disorders (something else referring pain to the head)
What examples of the primary vs. Secondary headaches
Primary — migraine and tension type headaches
Secondary — cervicogenic, TMD, occipital neuralgia, post-traumatic headaches
What is SNOOP4
S: systemic symptoms
N: neurological
O: onset sudden — peaks within 1 minute onset.
O: onset after the age of 50 years
P: Pattern change
4: progressive HA/increasing frequency, precipitation by valsalva/sex, postural aggravation, papilledema
Red flag items from the history
- History of mechanical trauma
- Recent respiratory or GI infection
- Neurological or ischemic syndrome
- Referral patterns from vertebral artery or internal carotid artery
- Neuro or ischemic signs and symptoms including balance deficits
- Jolt accentuation of HA is a new/less well-recognized physical exam which assesses meníngeas irritation
- Lhermitte’s sign
- Vertebral artery test
- Horner’s syndrome
Referral patterns for internal carotid and vertebral artery
Internal carotid artery — sudden intense temporal headache and neck pain
Vertebral artery — unilateral neck/upper trap type pain
Key features of Horner’s syndrome
- Decreased pupil size
- Ptosis
- Decreased sweating on the affected side of the face
Most common encountered primary headache
Tension type
Description of tension type HA
- Peripheral sensitization of nociceptors in myofascial tissue
- Increased muscle tenderness (contributory but not causative)
- Chronic TTH = occurs >/= 15 days per month for >3 months, altered pain sensitivity and central pain modulation
Diagnostic criteria for TTH
- > 10 episodes fulfilling B-D
- HA lasting 30 minutes to 7 days
- At least 2 of following
— bilateral location
— pressing or tightening (not pulsating quality)
— mild-mod intensity
— not aggravated by routine physical activity - Def both of following
— no N+V
— no >1 of photophobia or phenophobia - Not better accounted fro by another ICHD-3 dx
What is frequency criteria for chronic TTH
> 15 days / month for > 3 months
Medical management for TTH
- Acute management - analgesic meds, or analgesic plus caffeine, muscle relaxers
- Preventative - tricyclic antidepressants, beta-blockers, and divalproex sodium
- TrP injections — usually in SCM, UT, temporalis, typically using lidocaine and bupivacine
Manual therapy for TTH
- Thrust and non-thrust spinal mobs/manips
- mobilization with movement
- STM/IASTM
- dry needling — really really strong evidence
- everything you would treat myofascial dysfunction
Exercise and education for TTH
- Posture and ergonomic adjustment
- Stretching
- Postural strengthening
- Neural mobilization exercises
- if patients have chronic TTH they need education and PNE
Description of migraine headache
- Stimulation of peripheral afferents int he trigeminocervical complex (all branches of TN, posterior dura, and C1/2 dermatomes)
- Up to 70% report neck pain
- Pathophysiology is complex and unclear but may have genetic abnormalities that increase CNA excitability
Prevalence for migraine headaches
Peak prevalence woman is 20-60 yo
Peak prevalence men is 30-40 yo
What are 4 phases of migraine
- Prodrome — days or hours heading up to headache.
- Aura — know its coming any minute. Changes in vision, numbness/tingling, difficulty speaking or understanding others.
- Headache — actual headache and key for diagnostic criteria
- Postdrome — when it goes away but you still feel crappy, fatigue/lightheadedness/decreased energy
Potential mechanism for prodrome
Thought to be due to hypothalamic activation