Electroencephalogram abnormalities in a patient with tension type headache - 07/06/18
Résumé |
Objectives |
Epilepsy and headache have both episodic speed and share overlapping mechanisms and symptoms such as sensory and vegetative aura [1 ]. Diagnosis as well as management is sometimes challenging since different types of electroencephalographic (EEG) abnormalities have been reported during migraine and tension type headache within headache free periods [2 , 3 ]. These abnormalities include spikes, sharp waves, slow waves, and increase in theta activity [3 ].
Results |
Here we report a 60-year-old woman who presented to our department for episodic headache attacks. Her family history was positive for migraine and febrile seizure. She described sudden severe bifrontal headache, tightening in quality, associated with dizziness and lasting at least 12hours. Our patient was diagnosed with tension type headache according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD). She unfortunately still suffering from her pain despite optimal analgesic medications. We, therefore, performed EEG monitoring, which demonstrated periodic right spike and wave discharges diffusing to contralateral side within headache free periods. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed nonspecific deep white matter T2 and Flair hyperintense lesions.
Conclusion |
To the best of our knowledge, tension type headache is rarely associated with EEG abnormalities [2 , 3 ]. In fact, previous report for EEG abnormalities’ rate in tension-type headaches was about 5.9% according to Piccinelli and al and 2% according to M. Ozkan et al. [3 ]. These finding in addition to ours suggest transient that headache could result from transient cortical excitability [3 ].
Le texte complet de cet article est disponible en PDF.Keywords : EEG abnormalities, Headache free periods, Tension type headache
Plan
Vol 48 - N° 3
P. 140 - juin 2018 Retour au numéroBienvenue sur EM-consulte, la référence des professionnels de santé.
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