Premium
Unusual Headache Syndromes
Author(s) -
Queiroz Luiz P.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
headache: the journal of head and face pain
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.14
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1526-4610
pISSN - 0017-8748
DOI - 10.1111/head.12002
Subject(s) - medicine , headaches , primary headache , international classification of headache disorders , head and neck , dermatology , pediatrics , quality of life (healthcare) , intensive care medicine , psychiatry , surgery , nursing
Objective/Background. Some headache syndromes have few cases reported in the literature. Their clinical characteristics, pathogenesis, and treatment may have not been completely defined. They may not actually be uncommon but rather under‐recognized and/or underreported. Methods. A literature review of unusual headache syndromes, searching P ub M ed and ISI W eb of K nowledge, was performed. After deciding which disorders to study, relevant publications in scientific journals, including original articles, reviews, meeting abstracts, and letters or correspondences to the editors were searched. Findings. This paper reviewed the clinical characteristics, the pathogenesis, the diagnosis, and the treatment of five interesting and unusual headache syndromes: exploding head syndrome, red ear syndrome, neck‐tongue syndrome, nummular headache, and cardiac cephalgia. Conclusions. Recognizing some unusual headaches, either primary or secondary, may be a challenge for many non‐headache specialist physicians. It is important to study them because the correct diagnosis may result in specific treatments that may improve the quality of life of these patients, and this can even be life saving.