Headache
Headache Causes
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Headache Causes
, Primary Headache, Headache Central Sensitization
See Also
Headache
Headache History
Headache Examination
Headache Diagnostic Testing
Neuroimaging in Headache
Headache in Pregnancy
Headache in Children
Exertional Headache
Headache in HIV
Migraine Headache
Tension Headache
Cluster Headache
Spinal Headache
Postconcussion Syndrome
Secondary Headache
Epidemiology
Prevalence
Episodic
Headache
s: 50% of U.S. adults suffer from
Headache
s at any period of time
Progress to chronic
Headache
s in 3-4% of episodic
Headache
patients (central sensitization)
Chronic
Headache
s: 2-4% of U.S. Adults
Chronic daily symptoms in up to 30% of those with chronic
Headache
s
Pathophysiology
Headache Central Sensitization
Frequent episodic
Headache
s may progress to chronic
Headache
s without management
Results in central sensitization and
Neuron
al dysfunction
Central sensitization Inappropriate response to low level stimuli
Lower thresholds trigger pain response
Exaggerated stimulus response
Pain persists after trigger is removed
Risk Factors for progression from episodic
Headache
to chronic
Headache
are specific to
Headache
type
See
Migraine Headache
See
Tension Headache
Causes
Urgent
Headache
s
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Vertebral Artery Dissection
Carotid Artery
Dissection
Hypertensive Emergency
Giant Cell Arteritis
Bacterial Meningitis
Acute angle closure
Glaucoma
Causes
Primary Headaches
See
Acute Recurrent Headache
See Chronic Nonprogressive
Headache
Common
Headache
s
Tension Headache
(50% of acute
Headache
s)
Common
Migraine Headache
(10% of acute
Headache
s)
Other Primary Headaches
Migraine with Aura
(
Classic Migraine
)
Cluster Headache
Sexual Headache
Causes
Secondary Headache
s
See
Headache Red Flag
Acute Localized Headache
Sinus Headache
(e.g.
Acute Sinusitis
)
Myofacial pain
Cervical Spine
disorder (
Cervical Spondylosis
)
Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction
Ophthalmologic
Headache
Acute Angle-Closure Glaucoma
(severe
Eye Pain
)
Generalized Headache
See
Acute Generalized Headache
See
Chronic Progressive Headache
(
Organic Headache
)
See
Headache Red Flag
s
Life-treatening secondary causes
Meningitis
or
Encephalitis
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Acute or chronic
Subdural Hematoma
Cerebellar infarction
Temporal Arteritis
Cerebral or dural venous sinus thrombosis
Cervical artery dissection (carotid dissection,
Vertebrobasilar Dissection
)
Preeclampsia
(
Pregnancy Induced Hypertension
)
Intracranial Mass
Pituitary apoplexy
Miscellaneous secondary causes
Hormonal
Headache
Menstrual Migraine
Estrogen
in
Oral Contraceptive
Benign Intracranial Hypertension
:
Pseudotumor Cerebri
(esp. in women with
Obesity
)
Post-Traumatic Headache
(
Postconcussion Syndrome
)
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Temporomandibular Joint Disorder
Frontal Sinus
itis
History
See
Headache History
Exam
See
Headache Examination
Differential Diagnosis
See Headache Causes
See
Headache Red Flag
See
Organic Headache
Diagnostics
See
Headache Diagnostic Testing
See
Neuroimaging in Headache
Management
See
Nonpharmacologic Headache Treatment
See
Chronic Daily Headache
Musculoskeletal
Headache
s
See
Tension Headache
See
Occipital Headache
Migraine Headache Management
See
Migraine Headache Management
See
Migraine Abortive Treatment
See
Migraine Headache Prophylaxis
See
Migraine Headache Management in Children
See
Emergency Department Migraine Headache Care
Iatrogenic
Headache
s and medication overuse
See
Rebound Headache
See
Spinal Headache
(
Post-Dural Puncture Headache
)
Trigeminal Nerve
Syndromes
See
Trigeminal Neuralgia
See
Cluster Headache
See
SUNCT Syndrome
See
Paroxysmal Hemicrania
See
Hemicrania Continua
Organic Headache
s
See
Headache Red Flag
See
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
(
Thunderclap Headache
)
See
Pseudotumor Cerebri
See
Exertional Headache
See
Temporal Arteritis
Headache Management
in women
Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy
See
Migraine Medications in Pregnancy
See
Migraine Medications in Breast Feeding
See
Headache in Pregnancy
See
Menstrual Migraine
Headache
s in other specific cohorts
See
Headache in HIV
References
Mayans (2018) Am Fam Physician 97(4): 243-51 [PubMed]
Walling (2020) Am Fam Physician 101(7):419-28 [PubMed]
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