Cluster Headache

Cluster headache is an excruciatingly painful problem, a ‘suicide headache’. It is secondary to various manifestations of autonomic nervous system dysfunction. Correct diagnosis is clinically mandatory and must be followed with appropriate abortive and prophylactic medications.

Keywords: headache; chronic paroxysmal hemicrania; autonomic nervous system

 References
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    book Graham JR (1975) "Some clinical and theoretical aspects of cluster headache". In: Saxena, PR (ed.) Migraine and Related Headaches, pp. 27–40. Rotterdam, The Netherlands: Erasmus Universiteit.
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    Klapper JA, Klapper A and Voss T (2000) The misdiagnosis of cluster headache: a nonclinic, population-based, internet survey. Headache 40: 730–735.
    book Kudrow L (1980) Cluster Headache: Mechanisms and Management. New York: Oxford University Press.
    Kunkle EC, Pfeiffer JB Jr, Wilhoit WM and Hamrick LW Jr (1954) Recurrent brief headaches in ‘cluster’ pattern. North Carolina Medical Journal 15: 510–512.
    Lainez MJ, Pascual J, Santonja JM, et al. (2001) Topiramate in the prophylactic treatment of cluster headache. Cephalalgia 21: 369. Abstract and poster presented at the 10th Congress of the International Headache Society, New York. Abstract P3-R20. 29 June–2 July, 2001.
    Leone M, Franzini A, D'Amico D, et al. (2001) Intractable chronic cluster headache relieved by electrode implant to posterior inferior hypothalamus. Cephalalgia 21: 503.
    Manzoni GC (1998) Gender ratio of cluster headache over the years: a possible role of changes in lifestyle. Cephalalgia 18: 138–142.
    Mathew NT and Hurt W (1988) Percutaneous radiofrequency trigeminal gangliorhizolysis in intractable cluster headache. Headache 28: 328–331.
    May A, Bahra A, Buchel C, Frakowiak RSJ and Goadsby PJ (1998) Hypothalamic activation in cluster headache attacks. Lancet 351: 275–278.
    Morrow TJ, Koeppe RA and Casey KI (1995) Involvement of the insular cortex in central autonomic regulation during painful thermal stimulation. Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow 15(Suppl. 1): 859.
    book Rasmussen BK (1999) "Epidemiology of cluster headache". In: Olesen J and Goadsby P (eds) Cluster Headache and Related Condition. New York, Oxford University Press, pp. 23–26.
    book Romberg MH (1840) Lehrbuch der Nervenkrankheiten des Menschen, "BD I", pp. 58–60. Berlin: Dunker.
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    Wheeler S and Carrazana EJ (1999) Topiramate-treated cluster headache. Neurology 53: 234–236.
 Further Reading
    book Jay GW (1998) Headache Handbook: Diagnosis and Treatment. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.
    book Sjaastad O (1992) "Cluster headache syndrome". In: Major Problems in Neurology, vol. 23. London: Saunders.
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Jay, Gary W(Sep 2005) Cluster Headache. In: eLS. John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chichester. http://www.els.net [doi: 10.1038/npg.els.0004074]