The Diagnosis and Management of Posttraumatic Headache with Associated Painful Cranial Neuralgias: a Review and Case Series

This article is a brief review of the literature and a retrospective report of 2 cases of posttraumatic headache with associated painful cranial neuralgias.Recent FindingsTwo patients presented with headaches that met criteria for posttraumatic headache, but their history and physical examination suggested the presence of a focal painful cranial neuralgia. One patient was diagnosed with auriculotemporal neuralgia, which was exquisitely responsive to an auriculotemporal nerve block. The second patient was diagnosed with supratrochlear neuralgia, which was effectively treated with a supratrochlear nerve block. In both cases, adequate treatment of the painful cranial neuralgia resulted in significant improvement of the baseline PTH.SummaryPainful cranial neuralgias frequently occur within the clinical spectrum of posttraumatic headache, but are often undiagnosed. Treatment options for painful cranial neuralgias are often different than those traditionally employed for posttraumatic headache without cranial neuralgias, which can include peripheral nerve blockade, neuropathic medications, and in refractory cases, peripheral nerve decompression surgery.

Source: Current Pain and Headache Reports - June 23, 2021 Category: Neurology Source Type: research