Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 16, 2026
10:39
3D-Neuronavigation In Vivo Through a Patient's Brain During a Spontaneous Migraine Headache
Published on: June 2, 2014
Focus on therapy of primary stabbing headache
Enrico Ferrante1, Paolo Rossi, Cristina Tassorelli
1Department of Neuroscience, Niguarda Ca' Granda Hospital, Milan, Italy.
The Journal of Headache and Pain
|February 2, 2010
Summary
Primary stabbing headache (PSH) causes brief, severe head pain. Indomethacin is a primary treatment, but other options like COX-2 inhibitors and gabapentin may also be effective for PSH management.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Headache Medicine
Background:
- Primary stabbing headache (PSH) is a distinct headache disorder characterized by brief, sharp head pains.
- The condition affects the trigeminal nerve distribution and can occur multiple times daily.
- Diagnosis requires excluding other potential underlying causes of stabbing pain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review the literature on the therapeutic options for primary stabbing headache.
- To summarize treatment efficacy and identify alternatives to standard therapies.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature analysis.
- Review of international publications from 1980 to 2009 focusing on PSH therapy.
Main Results:
- Indomethacin is the primary treatment for PSH, with a notable failure rate of up to 35%.
- Alternative treatments including cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors, gabapentin, nifedipine, paracetamol, and melatonin have shown potential efficacy.
- The irregular pattern and short duration of PSH attacks present diagnostic and therapeutic challenges.
Conclusions:
- While indomethacin remains a cornerstone therapy for PSH, a significant portion of patients do not respond adequately.
- Emerging evidence suggests several alternative pharmacological agents may offer relief for refractory cases.
- Further research is warranted to optimize PSH management strategies.
