A case of short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache with conjunctival injection and tearing (SUNCT). Discussion of clinical features and differential diagnosis.
Chronic short-lasting headaches, in which trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias (TACs) are included, are relatively rare syndromes and not always well recognised. We present a case highly suggestive of short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache with conjunctival injection and tearing (SUNCT) and we try to affirm essential points to distinguish the diagnosis from other TACs and chronic short-lasting headaches. We conclude that the qualifying points for differential diagnosis are number and duration of attacks in a day, presence of autonomic features and lack of indomethacin effect.
Guidotti
M
M
Neurology Unit, Valduce General Hospital, via Dante 11, I-22100, Como, Italy. mguidotti@valduce.it
Mauri
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003229:Conjunctival Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006261:Headache / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D007213:Indomethacin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D013577:Syndrome
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D007213:Indomethacin