title: Common headache misdiagnoses.
abstract: The authors have a personal philosophy that it is worthwhile for a physician on occasion to be the patient. When this particular physician consults another physician for a medical problem, he is seeking treatment to eradicate that particular problem. It is difficult to afford the appropriate therapy for that problem if the correct diagnosis is not made. It is exactly the same situation with patients that come to us with complaints of headache. If we cannot make the proper diagnosis, it is unlikely we will be able to render the appropriate therapy. We need to keep this in mind when we evaluate patients with these headache problems, many of whom have suffered with an incorrect diagnosis for many years.
authors.affiliation: Ryan Headache Center, 1585 Woodlake Drive, St Louis, MO 63017, USA. drrerjr@aol.com
authors.forename: Robert E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.forename: Starr H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Pearlman
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003027:Cluster Headache / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D006261:Headache / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D020773:Headache Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000592:standards; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D018781:Tension-Type Headache / Q000175:diagnosis; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics