Primary Headaches
- Primary headaches are not caused by any underlying medical condition
- Make up 90% of diagnosed headaches
- 3 most common types:
- Migraine
- Tension
Cluster:
Cluster headaches are the rarest form of primary headache. However, they are also the most severe type. This type of headache is often described as being burning or piercing in nature that has a constant throbbing quality to it. This type of headache is usually felt behind one eye or in the general eye area. The term "cluster" headache was named due to the headaches usually occurring one to three times per day during a certain cluster of time from two weeks to three months.
Migraine:
- Most common disabling primary headache disorder
- Ranked 19 out of all diseases world-wide causing disability
Two main types:
1. Migraine without aura: which includes a headache without any specific signs and symptoms that are clinically significant. A
migraine without an aura has general characteristics that include a headache with: unilateral location, pulsating quality,
moderate or sever intensity, aggravation by routine physical activity and association with nausea and/or photophobia and
phonophobia.
2. Migraine with aura: focal neurological symptoms that either precede or accompany the headache. Some people will
experience premonitory and resolution symptoms that include "hyperactivity, hypoactivity, depression, craving for particular
foods, repetitive yawning and other less typical symptoms."
Diagnostic Criteria for Migraines:
- At least 5 attacks fulfilling criteria B-D
- Headache attacks lasting 4-72 hours
- Headache has at least two of the following characteristics:
2. Pulsating quality
3. Moderate or severe pain intensity
4. Aggravation by or causing avoidance of routine physical activity
- During headache at least one of the following: nausea and/or vomiting, photophobia and phonophobia
- Not attributed to another disorder
Tension:
Tension headaches are the most common type of primary headache. It has the highest socio-economic impact, highest prevalence in the general population, and the least studied out of all the primary headache classifications.
Two divisions:
1. Episodic: divided into frequent (more than one episode per month) and infrequent
2. Chronic: serious and often decreases the person's quality of life and high disability
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