Neurology

Cluster Headache

A trigeminal autonomic cephalalgia causing recurrent, very severe strictly unilateral orbital or temporal attacks with ipsilateral cranial autonomic features, restlessness and a cluster pattern.

Definition

Cluster headache is a trigeminal autonomic cephalalgia with recurrent 15-to-180-minute attacks of severe strictly unilateral orbital, supraorbital or temporal pain, ipsilateral cranial autonomic features and a cluster pattern.

First principles

The pain and autonomic signs form one clinical syndrome

Cluster headache produces severe strictly unilateral orbital, supraorbital or temporal pain with ipsilateral lacrimation, conjunctival injection, nasal congestion or rhinorrhoea, eyelid oedema, sweating, ptosis or miosis. Patients are usually restless or agitated rather than lying still.

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