title: Headache.
abstract: Headache is one of the most common complaints among patients presenting to an outpatient neurology practice. The evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of headache can be rather cumbersome and at times quite challenging for even the most seasoned neurologist. Many complex issues that although not causative, can play an exacerbating role in the genesis of headaches. In this article, the authors review some of the essential elements that are part of headache evaluation including headache-specific history, physical examination, warning signs of secondary headache disorders, and when to consider further studies. They then provide a brief review on the diagnosis of primary headache disorders according to the International Headache Society's International Classification of Headache Disorders, 2nd Edition (ICHD-2), and treatment strategies of the more common primary headache disorders with a focus on migraine, trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias, tension-type headache, and chronic daily headache.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Brigham and Womens Faulkner Hospital, John R. Graham Headache Center, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130, USA. PMATHEW@partners.org
authors.forename: Paul G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Mathew
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Garza
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D051270:Headache Disorders, Primary / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D051271:Headache Disorders, Secondary / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D018781:Tension-Type Headache / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D051303:Trigeminal Autonomic Cephalalgias / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy