Cluster headache

Mathew, Ninan T. MD, FRCP (C)

From the Houston Headache Clinic and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Ninan T. Mathew, Houston Headache Clinic, 1213 Herman Drive, Houston, TX 77004.

Neurology 42(3):p 22-31, March 1992.

Article abstract

In this article we describe the clinical features, natural history, and clinical variants of cluster headaches, following the modern International Headache Society classification of cluster headaches in its two types: episodic and chronic. The basic pathophysiology is considered to be the trigeminal vascular system, the common final pain pathway, with pain initiated in a cyclical fashion by disordered central hypothalamic pacemaker. Oxygen, rapidly acting ergotamine, or dihydroergotamine preparations serve as abortive treatment of acute attacks; various pharma-cotherapeutic options and combination therapies aid in the prophylaxis of cluster headache; and trigeminal radio frequency gangliorhizolysis is a very useful surgical approach in patients with chronic cluster headache who are resistant to medical treatment.