Week 4 Flashcards
how are headaches classified? and give examples for each
primary (no underlying medical cause):
- tension type headache
- migraine
- cluster headache
secondary (has an identifiable structural or biochemical cause):
- tumour
- meningitis
- vascular disorders
- systemic infection
- head injury
- drug-induced
what is the most common cause of a primary headache?
migraine
pathophysiology of primary headache
- sensitisation of normal pain pathways
- involves brainstem and cortical structures and trigeminovascular system
- calcitonin gene related peptide is a key transmitter
what is the management for a primary headache?
consider:
- modifiable lifestyle triggers > especially important in migraine
- abortive treatment
- transitional treatment > more important in cluster headache
- preventative treatment
primary headache investigation
- look for an underlying secondary cause triggering off a primary headache disorder.
- for most patients, investigation is not required.
- MRI is more sensitive than CT, but is more likely to show incidental findings.
secondary headache investigation
- specific investigations can help to confirm diagnosis and guide treatment
- e.g. CT and CT angiogram in subarachnoid haemorrhage
describe a tension headache
mild, bilateral headache which is often pressing or tightening in quality, has no significant associated features and is not aggravated by routine physical activity
what is the treatment for a tension type headache?
- acute: paracetamol, NSAIDs
- preventative: tricyclic antidepressants (amitryptyline)
what symptoms occur during attacks of migraine?
- headache
- nasuea, photophobia, phonophobia
- functional disability
what is a migraine?
Migraine is a neurologic chronic disorder with episodic manifestation (CDEM), characterized by recurrent and reversible attacks of pain and associated symptoms such as headache.
describe aura in the context of migraine
- transient neurological systems resulting from cortical or brainstem dysfunction > cortical spreading depression.
- slow evolution of symptoms: moves from 1 area to the next e.g. vision > sensory > speech
- most common type of aura is visual aura
- duration 16-60 minutes
what is considered a chronic migraine?
headache on >/= 15 days per month of which >/= 8 days have to be migraine, for more than 3 months.
describe a medication overuse headache
- headache present on >/= 15 days/month which has developed or worsened whilst taking regular symptomatic medication.
- use of triptans, ergots, opiods and combination analgesic > 10 days/month
what are some modifiable lifestyle triggers in migraine?
- normal life events trigger or are associated with attacks in those predisposed to migraine.
- sleep disturbance
- dehydration
- diet
- hunger
- environmental stimuli
- stress
- changes in oestrogen level in women
what is the treatment for an acute 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 migraine?
- propanolol, candesartan
- anti-epileptics: topiramate, valproate
- tricyclic antidepressants: amitriptyline, nortriptyline
- flunarizine
- botox
- CGRP monoclonal antibodies
does migraine without aura get better or worse with pregnancy?
better
what is the treatment for migraine during pregnancy?
- acute: paracetamol, NSAID (1st two trimesters), triptans
- preventative: propanolol or amitryptyline
describe neuralgia
- an intense burning or stabbing pain
- usually brief but may be severe
- pain extends along the course of the affected nerve
- usually caused by irritation of or damage to a nerve
cranail neuralgias are caused by irritation of nerves that mediate the sensation in the head, name these
- trigeminal
- glossopharyngeal and vagus
- nervus intermedius (branch of facial nerve)
- occipital
trigeminal neuralgia definition
Trigeminal neuralgia, also known as tic douloureux, is a chronic pain condition characterized by severe, sudden, and brief bouts of shooting or stabbing pain that follow the distribution of one or more divisions of the trigeminal nerve, affecting the patient’s facial region.
what is the duration of each stab in trigeminal neuralgia?
5-10 seconds
what are some cutaneous triggers of trigeminal neuralgia?
- wind, cold
- touch
- chewing
what are common and uncommon causes of trigeminal neuralgia?
common:
- vascular compression of the trigeminal nerve
uncommon:
- MS
- intracranial arteriovenous malformation
- intracranail tumour
- brainstem lesions