Comprehensive Review Of Headache Medicine

Headache Medicine has recently become an official medical subspecialty. Practitioners who specialize in the field come from many different backgrounds including neurology, internal medicine, anesthesiology, rehabilitation medicine, family medicine, psychiatry, dentistry and others. A great deal of research is being done in HM, and, as a result, the field is one which is growing rapidly in every way. Interestingly, most patients with headache are not being treated by specialists in HM, in large part because of the vast numbers of patients requiring medical attention for headache disorders, and the relatively small number of bona fide specialists. Thus, there is a need for resources to guide these practitioners as they manage headache patients. There are several excellent scholarly texts in the field and numerous books for the public about headache. There are really no concise manuals of HM, however, there are books aimed at the bulk of skilled practitioners taking care of the major share of headache sufferers, who wish to understand the important concepts of diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis in this complex field. This is the aim of Dr. Levin's book which consists of 4 parts: Part 1- Headache Medicine Basic Science, Part 2- Diagnosis of Primary Headache Disorders, Part 3- Diagnosis of Secondary Headache Disorders, and Part 4- Headache Treatment. Chapters in each section are concise, but include cutting edge information about these aspects of headache medicine. The organization of the contents of this book is similar to the Curriculum for Headache Medicine designed by the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties (UCNS) which is the organization responsible for accrediting Headache Medicine training programs and accrediting individual practitioners. The content of the book mirrors that of the UCNS board examination as well. Chapters include key tables and illustrations. Review questions are included at the end of each chapter and serve as a study resource. The editor is a charter diplomate of the UCNS HM examination and has directed board review courses for the American Headache Society and Headache Cooperative of New England. All of the eligible chapter authors have taken and passed this exam as well. The International Classification of Headache Disorders is used throughout this text and a concerted effort has been made to base content on evidence when available, rather than personal practices. Each chapter is intended as a stand alone monograph and as a result the book can be read in virtually any order.

This comprehensive, practical title invites all clinicians to take a fresh look at the evaluation and management of chronic daily headache (CDH). Developed by a distinguished international panel of experts, the book examines key social and economic issues around CDH and clarifies the diagnosis of CDH disorders, providing an understanding of the underlying biological substrates, offering guidance on the use of diagnostic testing and additional consultations, and outlining treatment strategies with the greatest potential to alleviate the burden of these patients and to provide the highest quality of care. The book fully examines the constellation of symptoms that constitute chronic daily headache, while also discussing the role of behavioral medicine and the important elements involved in taking a good history. The major forms and biology of chronic daily headache are covered, as is the role of diagnostic testing and treatment. The risk factors that lead patients to transform episodic primary headache disorders into the chronic form are examined. Invasive and neuromodulatory techniques are also discussed. A section on the classification of these disorders rounds out this important contribution to the literature. Chronic Headache – A Comprehensive Guide to Evaluation and Management will be of great interest to neurologists, primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, medical students, and other clinicians with an interest in chronic daily headache.

M. WILKINSON Patients with frequent or daily headaches pose a very difficult problem for the physician who has to treat them, particularly as many patients think that there should be a medicine or medicines which give them instant relief. In the search for the compound which would meet this very natural desire, many drugs have been manufactured and the temptation for the physician is either to increase the dose of a drug which seems to be, at any rate, partially effective, or to add one or more drugs to those which the patient is already taking. Although there have been some references to the dangers of overdosage of drugs for migraine in the past, it was not until relatively recently that it was recognized that drugs given for the relief of headache, if taken injudiciously, may themselves cause headache. The first drugs to be implicated in this way were ergotamine and phenazone. In the case of ergotamine tartrate, the dangers of ergotism were well known as this was a disorder which had been known and written about for many years. In the treatment of headache, fully blown ergotism is rare and in recent years has usually been due to self-medication in doses much greater than those prescribed although there are a few recorded cases where toxic amounts have been given.

This practical and comprehensive title provides illuminating, evidence-based approaches in headache medicine for using traditional medical therapies in conjunction with alternative approaches to care. In all, the book details how multidisciplinary management and the combination of conventional and complementary medical services – integrative medicine – leads to superior patient outcomes: improved patient satisfaction, reduced stress, and more readily treatable, less serious illness. State-of-the-art and developed by experts in their fields, these 12 chapters present research and analysis of a wide range of non-pharmacologic interventions in headache care, seeking to inspire clinicians to formulate personalized headache treatment plans, and to work together by integrating their expertise in a multidisciplinary context to address patients’ unique conditions, needs, circumstances, and treatment. Chapter one provides an overview of integrative medicine and proposes a step-wise approach for incorporating integrative modalities into a headache practice. Chapter two focuses on the attention to be paid to relevant aspects of a patient’s medical history. The next four chapters discuss lifestyle factors that play a role in headache, including trigger identification, exercise, nutrition, and sleep. The scope of mind-body therapies such as acupuncture, yoga, and mindfulness is explored in chapter seven, and the psychology of pain is the subject of chapter eight. Chapter nine investigates the safety and efficacy of nutraceuticals, or pharmaceutical alternatives. The final three chapters review neuromodulation and interventional approaches to headache management. An invaluable and timely contribution to the clinical literature, Integrative Headache Medicine – An Evidence-Based Guide for Clinicians will be of great interest to neurologists, pain physicians, primary care clinicians, behavioral psychologists, psychiatrists, physical therapists, social workers, nutritionists and any other health professionals interested in delivering the highest quality care for headache patients.

This new review textbook, written by residents and an experienced faculty member from Cleveland Clinic, is designed to ensure success on all sorts of standardized neurology examinations. Presented in a comprehensive question-and-answer format, with detailed rationales, Comprehensive Review in Clinical Neurology is a must-have for both aspiring and practicing neurologists and psychiatrists preparation to take the RITE, the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology written exams, and various recertification exams.

Many people who suffer from headaches never consult a doctor, believing that no help is available, while others become frustrated and give up the search for relief. Fully revised and updated, this valuable book can save you time and trouble and help you stop the pain. It describes the full range of treatment options for migraines, cluster headaches, and tension headaches. It includes easy-to-understand information on the actions and side effects of hundreds of over-the-counter and prescription medications that prevent or abort headaches or dull the pain of a headache in progress. Special highlights: Details on the medications that have revolutionized migraine treatment Discussion of how hormones affect migraines Quick-reference guides to the medications that are most likely to work for your particular condition Helpful suggestions on how to describe your headache to your physician Hard-to-come-by information on headaches in children, teens, women, and people over fifty Alternative treatments, including herbs and acupuncture Self-help strategies such as relaxation techniques and biofeedback A national index of headache clinics and organizations

Headache is the number one complaint that causes a patient to see a neurologist. Because headaches constitute such a large part of many clinicians practices, the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties created an annually-administered headache subspecialty exam in 2006. Headache Medicine: Questions and Answers is the only question-and-answer book for the new headache subspecialty exam, with more than 500 questions, answers, explanations, and references to help readers self-assess their knowledge and to prepare for the subspecialty exam, as well as the neurology Board examination. Headache Medicine: Questions and Answers covers everything from the basics of epidemiology and co-morbidity, to must-know clinical neurology, to diagnosis and treatment. Board-type review questions are used throughout, each with an answer, a detailed explanation, and one or more references to help direct more in-depth review as desired. Divided into six key sections for targeted topic review, this is the most comprehensive and effective way to prepare for exams. Key features of Headache Medicine include: Board-type question format used to provide familiarity with question types Answers and explanations, which detail not only why the answer is correct, but also why the distracters are wrong. A series of in-depth, multi-question patient management problems that provide a realistic clinical learning experience References with each question for further investigation as desired

The brain is the most complex organ in our body. Indeed, it is perhaps the most complex structure we have ever encountered in nature. Both structurally and functionally, there are many peculiarities that differentiate the brain from all other organs. The brain is our connection to the world around us and by governing nervous system and higher function, any disturbance induces severe neurological and psychiatric disorders that can have a devastating effect on quality of life. Our understanding of the physiology and biochemistry of the brain has improved dramatically in the last two decades. In particular, the critical role of cations, including magnesium, has become evident, even if incompletely understood at a mechanistic level. The exact role and regulation of magnesium, in particular, remains elusive, largely because intracellular levels are so difficult to routinely quantify. Nonetheless, the importance of magnesium to normal central nervous system activity is self-evident given the complicated homeostatic mechanisms that maintain the concentration of this cation within strict limits essential for normal physiology and metabolism. There is also considerable accumulating evidence to suggest alterations to some brain functions in both normal and pathological conditions may be linked to alterations in local magnesium concentration. This book, containing chapters written by some of the foremost experts in the field of magnesium research, brings together the latest in experimental and clinical magnesium research as it relates to the central nervous system. It offers a complete and updated view of magnesiums involvement in central nervous system function and in so doing, brings together two main pillars of contemporary neuroscience research, namely providing an explanation for the molecular mechanisms involved in brain function, and emphasizing the connections between the molecular changes and behavior. It is the untiring efforts of those magnesium researchers who have dedicated their lives to unraveling the mysteries of magnesiums role in biological systems that has inspired the collation of this volume of work.