Carotidynia: a cause of neck and face pain

Carotidynia is a form of vascular neck are face pain in which the vascular change occurs in the carotid artery in the neck. The disorder is not uncommon, and most patients have a prior history of migraine. They present with pain in the neck and face, and are often thought to have a disorder such as chronic sinusitis or trigeminal neuralgia. Diagnosis can be made from the type and location of the pain and the finding of a tender and swollen carotid artery on the same side. Carotidynia responds to the prophylactic medications used for migraine, often disappearing in weeks or months. In some patients the syndrome may become recurrent or chronic, with a variable response to medication.