Headache

Causes and classification

1. primary, idiopathic headache without underlying disease:

  • Tension headache
  • Migraine
  • Cluster headache
  • Mixed and other, rarer primary forms.

2. secondary headache: the causes of secondary headache as a result of a disease, a particular condition or substances are numerous: head or cervical trauma:

  • Posttraumatic headache
  • Cervical spine acceleration trauma

Vascular disorders of the head or neck:

  • Ischemic infarction
  • Transient ischemic attack
  • Cerebral vein thrombosis

Non-vascular intracranial disorders:

  • Lumbar puncture
  • Neoplasms

Substances or withdrawal from substances:

  • Drug-induced headache
  • Intoxicants and stimulants: cocaine, alcohol, cannabis
  • Headache as an adverse effect of medications, e.g., nitrates, phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors, calcium channel blockers, oral contraceptives (hormonal contraception)
  • After withdrawal of a substance, e.g., caffeine withdrawal headache, opioid withdrawal headache, estrogen withdrawal headache.

Food:

Infectious diseases:

  • Meningitis
  • Encephalitis
  • Brain abscess

Disorders of homeostasis:

  • Hypoxia, altitude sickness
  • Hypertension
  • Hypothyroidism
  • Heat disorders such as sunstroke

Diseases of the skull, as well as the throat, eyes, ears, nose, sinuses, teeth, mouth, and others:

  • Sinusitis

Psychiatric disorders:

  • Somatization disorder
  • Psychotic disorder

Some warning signs of serious headache

  • Sudden onset
  • Onset at an advanced age
  • Increased frequency
  • Associated symptoms such as stiff neck, fever, rash.
  • Headache after head trauma

Drug treatment

See individual indications