Is hemicrania continua a single entity or the association of two headache forms? Considerations from a case report

Headache. 2010 May;50(5):877-81. doi: 10.1111/j.1526-4610.2008.01288.x. Epub 2008 Oct 10.

Abstract

Hemicrania continua (HC) belongs to the group of primary headaches and it is characterized by a strictly unilateral, continuous headache of moderate intensity, with superimposed exacerbations of severe intensity that are accompanied by trigeminal autonomic features. The syndrome is completely responsive to indomethacin. Here we report a case of a 49-year-old man with HC, which may be viewed as a combination of different types of headache, ie, chronic tension-type headache and trigeminal autonomic cephalalgia. The analysis of this case raises interesting issues regarding the proper place of HC among the primary headache forms.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Carotid Stenosis / classification
  • Carotid Stenosis / diagnosis
  • Carotid Stenosis / drug therapy
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Disease Progression
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Paroxysmal Hemicrania / classification*
  • Paroxysmal Hemicrania / diagnosis*
  • Paroxysmal Hemicrania / drug therapy
  • Tension-Type Headache / classification
  • Tension-Type Headache / diagnosis
  • Tension-Type Headache / drug therapy
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Trigeminal Autonomic Cephalalgias / classification
  • Trigeminal Autonomic Cephalalgias / diagnosis
  • Trigeminal Autonomic Cephalalgias / drug therapy