Neuro 3 Flashcards
What is the difference between primary and secondary headaches?
Primary - no abnormality behind, just occur
>Tension type, cluster + migraines
Secondary - some sort of pathology behind it
>Not all are sinister
What are tension type headaches?
Most frequent type, but not disabling
Mild, bilateral headache - often pressing or tightening in quality
What is the abortive treatment for tension type headaches?
Aspirin or paracetamol
NSAIDs
Limit to 10 days per month (~2 days per week) to avoid the development of medication overuse headache
What is the preventative treatment of tension type headaches?
Rarely required
Tricyclic antidepressants
>amitriptyline, dothiepin, nortriptyline
What is a migraine?
Most common disabling primary headache
Chronic disorder with episodic attacks - complex changes in the brain
Normal life events can trigger or associated with migraines (stress, period, hunger, dehydration diet)
What are the symptoms of migraine?
During attacks >Headache >Nausea, photophobia, phonophobia >Functional disability In-between attacks >Enduring predisposition to future attacks >Anticipatory anxiety
What are the stages of a migraine?
Premonitory
Early headache
Advanced headache
Prodrome
What is the premonitory phase of a migraine?
Mood + cognitive changes Fatigue Muscle pain Food craving Some get an aura - 33% 15-60 minutes long normally
What is the early headache phase of a migraine?
best place to treat
Dull
Nasal congestion
Muscle pain
What is the early headache phase of a migraine?
Unilateral
Throbbing
Nausea
Photo/osma/phono phobia
What is the prodrome phase of a migraine?
Fatigue
Cognitive changes
Muscle pain
What is a chronic migraine?
Headache >=15 days/month, of which >=8 must be migraine for more than 3 months
What is a transformed migraine?
History of episodic migraine
Increasing frequency of headaches
>over weeks / months / years
>symptoms become less frequent and less severe
Some have severe migraines with daily lesser headaches
> can occur with or without escalation in medication use
In patients with medication overuse, discontinuing the overused medication often (but not always) dramatically improves headache frequency
What is a medication overuse headache?
Headache present on ≥15 days / month which has developed or worsened whilst taking regular symptomatic medication
Can occur in primary headaches
What can cause a medication overuse headache?
Migraineurs taking pain medication for another reason can develop chronic headache
Use of triptans, ergots, opiods and combination analgesics >10 days / month
Use of simple analgesics > 15 days per month
Caffeine overuse: coffee, tea, cola, irn brew
What is the abortive treatment for a migraine?
Aspirin or NSAIDs
Triptans
Limit to 10 days per month (~2 days per week) to avoid the development of medication overuse headache
What is the prophylactic treatment for a migraine?
Propranolol, Candesartan Anti-epileptics >Topiramate, Valproate, Gabapentin Tricyclic antidepressants >amitriptyline, dothiepin, nortriptyline Venlafaxine
How do you treat a migraine during pregnancy?
Avoid antiepileptics
Acute attack - use paracetoamol
Prevent with propranolol or amitriptyline
What are the causes of trigeminal autonomic cephalagias?
Cluster headache
Paraxoysmal hemicrania
SUNCT/SUNA (short lasting unliateral neuralgiform headache)
>Conjunctibital injection + tearing /autonomic symptoms
What is trigeminal autonomic cephalagias?
Unilateral head pain - very severe
Attack frequency +duration differs
Get cranial autonomic symptoms
What is a cluster headache attack?
Rapid onset + severe unilateral attacks >Mainly orbital + temporal pain - Last 15mis - 3hrs >Rapid cessation of pain Patients restless during an attack Prominent ipsilateral autonomic symptoms Migrainous symptoms often present
What are the migrainous symptoms often present in a TAC?
Premonitory symptoms: tiredness, yawning
Associated symptoms: nausea, vomiting, photophobia, phonophobia
Typical aura (often under recognised)
How can the TAC attacks present (what frequency/length)?
Either bouts that last 1-3 months or chronic clusters
Bouts
>1-8 a day
>At roughly same time each day
Chronic
>Last a year without remission
>Or remission for a month and then restart
What are the cutaneous triggers for headaches?
Wind
Cold
Touch
Chewing
What is paroxysmal hemicrania?
Excrutiatingly severe unilateral episodes with acute onset >Mainly orbital and temporal Duration: 2-30 mins Rapid cessation of pain 50% are restless and agitated during an attack Prominent ipsilateral autonomic symptoms Migrainous symptoms may be present Background cutaneous pain
What is the frequency of paroxysmal hemicrania?
2-40 attacks a day
With no circadian rhythm
What is a SUNT headache?
Unilateral orbital, supraorbital or temporal pain
Stabbing or pulsating pain
10-240 seconds duration
Cutaneous triggers
Pain is accompanied by conjunctival injection and lacrimation
What is the attack frequency for a SUNT headache?
Attack frequency from 3-200/day,
>no refractory period
What is trigeminal neuralgia?
Unilateral maxillary or mandibular division pain > ophthalmic division Stabbing pain 5 - 10 seconds duration Cutaneous triggers Autonomic features are uncommon
What is the attack frequency for tirgeminal neuralgia?
Attack frequency from 3-200/day,
>refractory period
What is the abortive treatment for a cluster headache?
Subcutaneous sumatriptan
nasal zolmatriptan
100% oxygen
What is the abortive treatment for a cluster headache bout?
Occipital depomedrone injection (same side as the headache)
Or tapering course of oral prednisone
What is the preventative treatment for a cluster headache?
Verapamil (high doses may be required)
Lithium
Methysergide (risk of retroperitoneal fibrosis)
Topiramate
What is the treatment for tirgeminal neuralgia?
No abortive treatment Prophylaxis: >Carbamazepine >Oxcarbazepine Surgical intervention can be considered (decompression)
What is the treatment for SUNCT/SUNA headaches?
No abortive treatment Prophylaxis: >Lamotrigine >Topiramate >Gabapentin >Carbamazepine / Oxcarbazepine
What presentations are more likely to have a sinister cause?
Associated head trauma First or worst Sudden (thunderclap) onset New daily persistent headache Change in headache pattern or type Returning patient
What are the main sinister headache risk factors?
Over 50 New or change in headache Focal symptoms or non-focal neurological symptoms Abnormal neurological exam Neck stiffness High/low pressure
What is a thunderclap headache?
A high intensity headache reaching maximum intensity in less than 1 minute
Majority peak instantaneously
May be primary or secondary
No reliable differentiating features!
What are the differentials of a thunderclap headache?
Primary >migraine, >primary thunderclap headache, >primary exertional headache, >primary headache associated with sexual activity Subarachnoid haemorrhage Intracerebral haemorrhage TIA / stroke Carotid / vertebral dissection Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis Meningitis / encephalitis Pituitary apoplexy Spontaneous intracranial hypotension