Evaluation of the patient presenting with headache

In order to treat the patient presenting with headache successfully, one must carefully question, examine, and study the complete patient as well as his or her complaint of headache. Through direct and indirect questioning, a complete history may be obtained by exploring present illness, past medical history, family history, personal and social history, and systems review. A detailed medical and neurologic examination is also necessary to evaluate the complaint of headache. A comprehensive screening laboratory profile should be employed, but neurodiagnostic studies should only be used judiciously. A combined medical and neurologic approach will permit appropriate identification and effective treatment of the specific headache disorder rather than the isolated complaint of headache.