Headache Flashcards
(42 cards)
What are possible causes of acute, single headaches?
- febrile illness, sinusitis
- first attack of migraine
- head trauma
- subarachnoid haemorrhage
- meningitis
- tumour
- drugs, toxins
- stroke
- thunderclap
- low pressure
What are the possible causes of a dull headache, increasing in severity?
- benign
- overuse of medication
- contraceptive pill
- HRT
- neck disease
- temporal arteritis
- benign intracranial hypertension
- cerebral tumour
- cerebral venous sinus thrombosis
What tends to cause a dull headache, unchanged for months?
- chronic tension headache
- depressive, atypical facial pain
What are different forms of recurrent headaches?
- migraine
- cluster headache
- episodic tension headache
- trigeminal/post-herpetic neuralgia
What are the red flags for a secondary headache?
- age
- onset
- systemic symptoms
- neurological signs
What types of onset are red flags?
- thunderclap
- acute
- subacute
Which systemic symptoms are red flags?
- fever
- rash
- weight loss
- neck stiffness
Which neurological symptoms are red flags?
- confusion
- impaired consciousness
- focal neurological deficit
- swollen optic disc
What does orthostatic mean?
the headache is better when lying down
How does migraine disorder present?
- tendency of repeated attacks
- triggers
- easily hung over
- visual vertigo
- motion sickness
What are the different forms of migraine attacks?
- pain only
- pain and focal sings
- focal symptoms only
What are the 5 phases of a migraine?
- premonitory
- aura
- headache
- resolution
- recovery
What is the premonitory phase of a migraine?
- yawning
- polyuria
- mood change
- light sensitivity
- neck pain
- difficulty concentrating
What is the aura phase of a migraine?
- visual changes
- sensory numbness/paraesthesia
- weakness
- speech arrest
What is the headache phase of a migraine?
- head and body pain
- nausea
- photophobia
What is the resolution phase of a migraine?
- rest
- sleep
What is the recovery phase of a migraine?
- disturbed mood
- food intolerance
- hungover feeling
- can take up to 48hrs
What visual symptoms happen during the aura phase of a migraine?
positive and negative symptoms simulatenously:
- scintillations
- blindspots
- expanding C’s
- elemental visual disturbances
What is the treatment for an acute migraine attack?
- NSAIDS (aspirin, ibuprofen)
- Anti-emetic (paracetamol, metoclopramide)
- prokinetics
- triptans (tablets, melts, nasal sprays, sc injection)
How does TMS help treat acute migraine attacks?
interrupts complex networks that trigger and perpetuate migraines - caused by spreading electrical depression across the cerebral cortex
What are the long term treatments for migraines?
- lifestyle issues due to overstimulation
- identify and avoid triggers
- hydrate and avoid caffeine
- avoid ready meals and take-aways
- good sleep
- exercise
- mindfulness
What prophylaxis can be taken for migraines?
- over the counter
- tricyclic antidepressants
- beta-blockers
- serotonin antagonists
- calcium channel blockers
- anticonvulsants
- greater occipital nerve blocks
- botox
- suppress ovulation
- Erenumab
What is the new treatment for migraines?
CGRP antibodies
What is a risk of using painkillers for headaches?
Medication overuse headaches
