Headache, or cephalgia, is one of the most common neurological syndromes. As it may have variety of causes and mechanisms, differentiated approaches to therapy are required. Often, headache is one of the symptoms of brain damage (tumor, hemorrhage to the brain tissue or under cerebral meninges, meningeal inflammation).
Unfortunately, many patients underestimate the severity of the disease and use self-care. Thus, about 17% of patients suffer from chronic headache.
Headache is common in different age groups with a predominance of the most active and able-bodied population.
According to the latest third edition of the International Classification of Disorders, presenting with headache and facial pain (International Classification of headache 3β, 2013), headache is divided into the following types:
- primary (not associated with organic damage to the brain or other structures located in the head and neck);
- secondary (when organic cause of pain, i.e., a causal disease is evident);
- painful cranial neuropathy and facial pain.
In this chapter, we will look at some of the most common primary variants of headache.