Cluster headache differential diagnosis

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Saumya Easaw, M.B.B.S.[2]

Differentiating Cluster Headache from other Diseases

Differential of cluster headache usually involves syndromes that manifest as unilateral headache, brief but frequent attacks. Such syndromes include the following:[1]

  • Chronic paroxysmal hemicrania (CPH) is a condition similar to cluster headache, but CPH responds well to treatment with the anti-inflammatory drug indomethacin. With CPH, the attacks are much shorter, often lasting only seconds.[2]
  • Short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache attacks (SUNCT and SUNA)
  • Trigeminal neuralgia[3]
  • Primary stabbing headache
  • Headache associated with an underlying intracranial lesion[4]

References

  1. Goadsby PJ, Lipton RB (January 1997). "A review of paroxysmal hemicranias, SUNCT syndrome and other short-lasting headaches with autonomic feature, including new cases". Brain. 120 ( Pt 1): 193–209. doi:10.1093/brain/120.1.193. PMID 9055807.
  2. NEURO/67 at eMedicine
  3. Goadsby PJ, Matharu MS, Boes CJ (March 2001). "SUNCT syndrome or trigeminal neuralgia with lacrimation". Cephalalgia. 21 (2): 82–3. doi:10.1046/j.1468-2982.2001.00175.x. PMID 11422087.
  4. Favier I, van Vliet JA, Roon KI, Witteveen RJ, Verschuuren JJ, Ferrari MD, Haan J (January 2007). "Trigeminal autonomic cephalgias due to structural lesions: a review of 31 cases". Arch. Neurol. 64 (1): 25–31. doi:10.1001/archneur.64.1.25. PMID 17210806.


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