Headache

Abstract

Present views on the cause and treatment of temporal arteritis, trigeminal neuralgia, pain arising from the neck, benign intracranial hypertension, and other headaches of intracranial origin are summarized. The clinical components of migraine are correlated with recent studies of cerebral blood flow, monoamine changes, and the platelet release reaction. Psychological, physiological, and pharmacological management is based on the holistic concept of migraine as an uninhibited protective reaction. Cluster headache is subdivided into three varieties which respond preferentially to different medication. Tension headache may depend more on vascular mechanisms than excessive muscle contraction, but treatment is still directed at behavioral management and relaxation training with the aid of antidepressant therapy.