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Post-traumatic headache from moderate head injury

Davide Moscato1, Maria I Peracchi, Giovanni Mazzotta

  • 1Headache Centre San Carlo IDI Rome, Via Aurelia 275, Rome, Italy. d.moscato@idi.it

The Journal of Headache and Pain
|December 20, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Post-traumatic headache (PTH) is common after severe head injuries but its link to mild trauma is unclear. Studies suggest PTH after mild head trauma is rare, questioning its existence as a distinct condition.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Trauma Medicine
  • Headache Disorders

Background:

  • Post-traumatic headache (PTH) frequently occurs in children following severe head injuries, often as part of a broader post-traumatic syndrome.
  • Establishing a causal link for PTH after mild head trauma presents significant challenges.
  • The independent nosological status of PTH, particularly after minor head injuries, remains uncertain.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the incidence of post-traumatic headache (PTH) in patients presenting to an emergency department after head trauma.
  • To compare PTH incidence in a French hospital with data from Italian headache centers.
  • To evaluate the evidence supporting PTH as a distinct entity following mild head trauma.

Main Methods:

  • A one-year prospective study of patients with head trauma in the emergency ward of Saint Charles of Nancy Hospital.
  • Comparison of findings with data from four Italian headache centers examining 1,656 patients.
  • Analysis of acute and chronic PTH incidence in relation to trauma severity.

Main Results:

  • At Saint Charles of Nancy Hospital, 98 patients with moderate head trauma experienced PTH; 18 acute and 26 chronic cases, with most resolving within six months.
  • In Italian headache centers, 3.2% of 1,656 patients had PTH, comprising 25 acute and 29 chronic cases.
  • The data indicate a low incidence of PTH following mild head trauma.

Conclusions:

  • The findings suggest that post-traumatic headache (PTH) is infrequently associated with mild head trauma.
  • The low incidence challenges the classification of PTH as a distinct nosological entity after minor head injuries.
  • Further research is needed to clarify the pathophysiology and diagnostic criteria for PTH, especially in mild trauma cases.

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