Cluster headache: general management and acute treatment: Discussion summary

摘要

The first point raised was how many symptomatic cluster headaches had been described in total in the literature. Dr Krabbe had found 10 patients with symptomatic cluster headache whereas Dr Ekbom had found none.It was recommended by Dr Goadsby that every cluster headache patient deserved a neuroimaging study; if possible, magnetic resonance imaging. There was no consensus on this point, and Dr Ekbom pointed out that a typical history in patients with episodic cluster headache, and a careful clinical examination, should be sufficient. There was consensus that late onset and atypical chronic cluster headache should have neuroimaging studies.The role of acupuncture in cluster headache treatment was raised. In the experience of Dr Krabbe had no effect in 84% of cases and in 16% it did have an effect. There was often an effect when the patients were treated for the first time, possible due to the spontaneous resolving cluster episode, whereas in the next episode acupuncture had no effect.