There are numerous case studies which have shown that injecting local anesthetic around the greater occipital nerve the pain of migraine is eased. This is also a key finding in cervicogenic headache and confirms the diagnosis of cervicogenic headache. So why is it that, in this situation, almost invariably the interpretation is that the sufferer [...]
Here we go again – another headache type that occurs within the menstrual period! Last count it was migraine, tension-type headache, cluster headache …
This case study describes a 43 year old woman who initially had menstrual related migraine which later developed into a typical paroxysmal hemicrania (similar to cluster headache). So here we have menstrual [...]
Now we have menstrual tension-type headache described. When will it all end – the last thing we need now is another headache type!
The authors interviewed 165 women with menstrual related headache and found that the characteristics of tension-type headache were evident in 21.
Isn’t this what some authorities are saying – that all headache and migraine [...]
It’s interesting to read that the ‘triptans’ are also effective in managing menstrual migraine, suggesting that the underlying cause for migraine, tension headache and menstrual migraine is similar, that is, a sensitised brainstem.
One underestimated source of sensitisation are neck disorders …. tired of playing around with your hormonal levels? Perhaps it is your neck that [...]
My experience with cluster headache includes a patient who developed cluster headache 2-3 months after a whiplash accident – and treatment of his subsequent neck disorder has meant that he has been pain-free for 5 years.
A recent case study describes the onset of cluster headache after mild head trauma – and whilst most attention is [...]
Another example of migraine headache being relieved within 30 seconds after injection of the greater occipital nerve.
Need I say more ….. just part of the overwhelming evidence for cervicogenic involvement in migraine …. but there is more!
Blocking the greater occipital nerve in 14 cluster headache patients substantially decreased their symptoms with the researchers suggesting that [...]
Not only can the pain of migraine be relieved by injecting the greater occipital nerve but also the aura.
In two patients with hemiplegic migraine their aura symptoms were completely stopped within 5 minutes and without the usual following headache.
Interestingly this is very similar to my clinical experience. I have had the opportunity to treat two [...]
Further to my comment earlier, the ‘triptans’ have been shown to be useful in differentiating migraine from sinus headache.
As in past studies patients with a self-diagnosis or physician-diagnosis of ‘sinus’ headache were assessed. An overwhelming 82% had a significant reduction in their headache symptoms.
This extraordinary response provides further (not that any more is required!) evidence [...]
Given what we know about ‘sinus’ headache in adults, it is not surprising that a recent survey has concluded that children with recurrent headaches are misdiagnosed as sinus headache and receive unnecessary Xrays and sinus treatment.
Of 214 patients, approximately 40% of patients with migraine and 60% with tension-type headache had been misdiagnosed as ‘sinus’ headache; [...]
It has been claimed that the effectiveness of the triptans in someone experiencing facial pain does not exclude a diagnosis of ‘sinus’ headache because it has been shown that the ‘triptans’ do relieve the pain of sinusitis. Whilst this is true (because abnormal information from a diseased, infected sinus will sensitise the brainstem and the [...]
