Diagnosis and management of headaches in young people and adults: summary of NICE guidance

摘要

Headaches are a common problem that many clinicians in primary and secondary care find difficult to treat. Once the serious causes of headache have been excluded (such as infection, tumour, bleeding, and arteritis), the major health and social burden of headaches can be attributed to primary headache disorders (cluster headache, migraine, and tension-type headache) and headache caused by the overuse of medications. Straightforward advice is needed for anyone working in the NHS on the diagnosis and treatment of these common disorders and the prevention of medication overuse headache.This article summarises the most recent recommendations from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) on the diagnosis and management of headaches in young people and adults.