Headache

Headache Causes

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Headache Causes, Primary Headache

  • See Also
  1. Headache
  2. Headache History
  3. Headache Examination
  4. Headache Diagnostic Testing
  5. Neuroimaging in Headache
  6. Headache in Pregnancy
  7. Headache in Children
  8. Exertional Headache
  9. Headache in HIV
  10. Migraine Headache
  11. Tension Headache
  12. Cluster Headache
  13. Spinal Headache
  14. Postconcussion Syndrome
  15. Secondary Headache
  • Epidemiology
  1. Prevalence: 50% of U.S. adults suffer from Headaches at any period of time
  1. Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
  2. Vertebral Artery Dissection
  3. Carotid Artery Dissection
  4. Hypertensive Emergency
  5. Giant Cell Arteritis
  6. Bacterial Meningitis
  7. Acute angle closure Glaucoma
  • Causes
  • Primary Headaches
  1. See Acute Recurrent Headache
  2. See Chronic Nonprogressive Headache
  3. Common Headaches
    1. Tension Headache (50% of acute Headaches)
    2. Common Migraine Headache (10% of acute Headaches)
  4. Other Primary Headaches
    1. Migraine with Aura (Classic Migraine)
    2. Cluster Headache
    3. Sexual Headache
  1. See Headache Red Flag
  2. Acute Localized Headache
    1. Sinus Headache (e.g. Acute Sinusitis)
    2. Myofacial pain
      1. Cervical Spine disorder (Cervical Spondylosis)
      2. Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction
    3. Ophthalmologic Headache
      1. Acute Angle-Closure Glaucoma (severe Eye Pain)
  3. Generalized Headache
    1. See Acute Generalized Headache
    2. See Chronic Progressive Headache (Organic Headache)
    3. See Headache Red Flags
  4. Life-treatening secondary causes
    1. Meningitis or Encephalitis
    2. Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
    3. Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
    4. Acute or chronic Subdural Hematoma
    5. Cerebellar infarction
    6. Temporal Arteritis
    7. Cerebral or dural venous sinus thrombosis
    8. Cervical artery dissection (carotid dissection, vertebrobasilar dissection)
    9. Preeclampsia (Pregnancy Induced Hypertension)
    10. Intracranial Mass
    11. Pituitary apoplexy
  5. Miscellaneous secondary causes
    1. Hormonal Headache
      1. Menstrual Migraine
      2. Estrogen in Oral Contraceptive
    2. Benign Intracranial Hypertension: Pseudotumor Cerebri (esp. in women with Obesity)
    3. Post-Traumatic Headache (Postconcussion Syndrome)
    4. Obstructive Sleep Apnea
    5. Temporomandibular Joint Disorder
    6. Frontal Sinusitis
  • References
  1. Mayans (2018) Am Fam Physician 97(4): 243-51 [PubMed]