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Unusual headaches
1Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Ohio, USA.
Emergency Medicine Clinics of North America
|January 16, 1999
Summary
This article discusses seven rare but serious headache syndromes that emergency physicians should recognize. Early diagnosis of these unusual headaches is crucial for patient outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Emergency Medicine
Background:
- Headaches are a common emergency department (ED) complaint, representing 1-3% of visits.
- While most ED headaches are benign, 10% stem from serious underlying pathology.
- Emergency physicians are trained to rule out common critical causes like stroke, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and meningitis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight seven uncommon headache syndromes.
- To emphasize the significant morbidity and mortality associated with these conditions.
- To guide emergency physicians on clinical features and diagnostic choices for these rare headaches.
Main Methods:
- Review of clinical features of seven unusual headache syndromes.
- Discussion of diagnostic modalities for each syndrome.
- Focus on conditions with high morbidity and mortality.
Main Results:
- Identification of seven distinct, unusual headache syndromes.
- Emphasis on the importance of recognizing specific clinical presentations.
- Guidance on selecting appropriate diagnostic tools for timely diagnosis.
Conclusions:
- Recognition of unusual headache syndromes is vital in the ED.
- Prompt diagnosis and management can mitigate severe outcomes.
- This review aids emergency physicians in identifying and managing critical headache presentations.