Headaches and pain referred to the teeth: frequency and potential neurophysiologic mechanisms

Objective: To assess frequency of pain referred to the teeth in occipital neuralgia, migraine and tension-type headache. Material and methods: 153 patients presenting with bruxing behavior and craniomandibular disorders (CMDs). Clinical examination, questionnaires, palpation, criteria for CMDs, bruxing behavior (BB), occipital neuralgia (ON), migraine (MIG), tension-type headache (TTH) and pain referred to the teeth. Results: Mean ages in the ON, MIG and TTH patients and controls were about 38.0, 37.0, 33.0 and 36.6 years, respectively (p = 0.17). The frequencies of dental pains in the subgroups ON and MIG were 37.1% and 25% (p = 0.52), ON and TTH, 37.1% and 18.6% (p = 0.03), ON and Controls 37.1% and 6.7% (p = 0.006), MIG and TTH 25% and 18.6% (p = 0.51), MIG and Controls 25% and 6.6% (p = 0.16) and TTH and controls 18.6% and 6.7% (p = 0.15). The frequencies of pain referred to the teeth decreased from the ON to the MIG, and then to the TTH and Control groups (x-square for independence p < 0.002, x-square for trends p < 0.001). Conclusion: The ON subgroup demonstrated the highest frequency of dental pain referred to the teeth. This frequency increased with the severity of pain. Neurophysiological mechanisms may explain higher frequency of referred pain associated with the severity of headache.

Comparison between the efficacy of ginger and sumatriptan in the ablative treatment of the common migraine.

Frequency and torment caused by migraines direct patients toward a variety of remedies. Few studies to date have proposed ginger derivates for migraine relief. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of ginger in the ablation of common migraine attack in comparison to sumatriptan therapy. In this double-blinded randomized clinical trial, 100 patients who had acute migraine without aura were randomly allocated to receive either ginger powder or sumatriptan. Time of headache onset, its severity, time interval from headache beginning to taking drug and patient self-estimation about response for five subsequent migraine attacks were recorded by patients. Patients(,) satisfaction from treatment efficacy and their willingness to continue it was also evaluated after 1 month following intervention. Two hours after using either drug, mean headaches severity decreased significantly. Efficacy of ginger powder and sumatriptan was similar. Clinical adverse effects of ginger powder were less than sumatriptan. Patients' satisfaction and willingness to continue did not differ. The effectiveness of ginger powder in the treatment of common migraine attacks is statistically comparable to sumatriptan. Ginger also poses a better side effect profile than sumatriptan.

Brief migraine episodes in children and adolescents-a modification to International Headache Society pediatric migraine (without aura) diagnostic criteria.

The international Headache Society (I H S) diagnostic criteria (International classification of headache disorders edition 2- ICHD 2) for headache in children and adults improved the accuracy of migraine diagnoses. However many short duration headaches in children, receive an atypical migraine diagnosis. This study is to diagnose children and adolescents who presented with such atypical migraines of less than one hour duration. 1402 children and adolescents aged 5 to 15 years who presented with recurrent brief activity affected head pain, were studied. Known and common migraine triggers and family history of migraine were recorded in all. All the children studied had moderate to severe headache lasting 5 to 45 minutes which forced them motionless during the attacks (thus fulfilling 2 diagnostic pain features). At least one of the ICHD2 pediatric migraine diagnostic symptoms (nausea / vomiting / photophobia / phonophobia) were present in all. Two additional features were diagnostic of brief migraines in all of them- one of the parents or siblings was a migrainer and one of the common migraine triggers as a precipitating factor. This study concludes that if duration of head pain is less than one hour ,two additional features to be included to diagnose definitive migraine in children and adolescents - one migraine parent or sibling and one of the migraine triggers precipitating the head pain.

Migraña común y ciclo menstrual: estudio clínico en adolescentes / The common migraine and the menstrual cycle: clinical study in adolescents

INTRODUCCIÓN. El tratamiento de la migraña en relación con las diferentes fases del ciclo menstrual es controversial, pues en muchas ocasiones existen situaciones especiales endógenas, de tipo hormonal, y exógenas, que es necesario considerar. La literatura médica documenta que alrededor del 60 por ciento de las mujeres migrañosas presentan migraña menstrual de difícil tratamiento. El objetivo de esta investigación fue analizar esta relación entre migraña y menstruación en un grupo de pacientes atendidas en el Hospital Pediátrico Universitario William Soler. MÉTODOS. De enero a junio del 2008 se estudiaron 124 adolescentes que acudieron a la consulta de ginecología infantojuvenil y que además presentaban cefalea. Del total de la muestra fueron seleccionadas las que presentaban migraña relacionada con el ciclo menstrual (n = 70). RESULTADOS. En el 55,7 por ciento de los casos, el comienzo de la migraña se observó en la adolescencia temprana. En el 85,71 por ciento de las adolescentes existieron factores de riesgo genéticos para la migraña, y en el 50 por ciento de los casos ésta apareció en la fase premenstrual. CONCLUSIONES. La migraña común se observó con frecuencia en la fase premenstrual del ciclo, con importante participación hormonal

INTRODUCTION: Treatment of migraine related to different phases of menstrual cycle is controversial since in many occasions there are endogenous and exogenous special situations of hormonal type to be considered. Medical literature documents that about 60 percent of women presenting with migraine have a menstrual type very difficult to treat. The objective of present research was to analyze the relation between migraine y and menstruation in a series of patients seen in Wiliam Soler Children University Hospital. METHODS: From January to June, 2008 124 adolescents were studied referred to infantile-juvenile gynecology consultation and also with migraine. From total sample we selected those with migraine related to menstrual cycle (n = 70). RESULTS: In 55,7 percent of cases the migraine onset was observed in the early adolescence. In 85,71 percent of adolescents there were genetic risk factors for migraine, and in the 50 percent of cases, this appeared in the premenstrual phase. CONCLUSIONS: The common migraine was frequent in the phase above mentioned with a significant hormonal presence

A retrospective study of clinical features of migraine / 中华内科杂志

Objective To observe the clinical features of migraine based on out-patient clinic data and provide help for the diagnosis and treatment of migraine. Methods In a retrospective study of 309 patients with migraine, we investigated the clinical characteristics of migraine of both genders and different types, and the risk factors for MOH transformed from migraine. Results The female to male ratio was about 3:1,76.1% of the patients had triggering factors. The most common characteristics of headache were moderate to severe intensity of the pain (97.7%), aggravation by routine physical activity (75.1%), and association with nausea (90.9%) and/or vomiting (70.6%). There were significant differences in some clinical characteristics of migraine in females as compared with these in males and in patients with migraine without aura (MWOA) as compared with those with aura (MWA). The risk factors for MOH transformed from migraine were elder age of onset, high attack frequency and the analgesics frequently used (P < 0.05).Conclusion It is suggested that carefully collecting the characteristics of headache, triggering factors and therapeutic history is the foundation of correct diagnosis and effective treatment for migraine.