The Nervous Systems - Headaches

Question 1

Primary headaches

Answer 1

Migraine, tension, trigeminal autonomic cephaliagies

Question 2

Severe headache with a stiff neck - you suspect:

Answer 2

meningitis

Question 3

“Worst headache of my life” with sudden onset - you suspect:

Answer 3

Subarachnoid hemorrhage

Question 4

3 most important attributes of a headache

Answer 4

• severity
• chronologic pattern
• associated symptoms

Question 5

Unusual headache warning signs / Reg Flags

Answer 5

• sudden onset/thunderclap
• onset after age 50
• assoc. sx such as fever or stiff neck

Question 6

Secondary headaches

Answer 6

Underlying structural, systemic, or infectious causes – may be life threatening

Question 7

Dull headache increased by cough, sneezing, especially when reoccurring in the same locations - you suspect:

Answer 7

Mass lesions from brain tumors of abscess

Question 8

“POUND” features of a migraine headache

Answer 8

P - pulsatile, throbbing
O - one day, or lasts 4-72 hours
U - unilateral
N - nausea or vomiting
D - disabling, interruption of daily living
Migraine highly likely if 3 of the 5 are present