Headache

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Definition

By Mayo Clinic staff

Headache is pain in any region of the head. Headaches may occur on one or both sides of the head, be isolated to a certain location, radiate across the head from one point or have a vise-like quality. A headache may be a sharp pain, throbbing sensation or dull ache. Headaches may appear gradually or suddenly, and they may last less than an hour or for several days.

Causes
References
  1. Bajwa ZH, et al. Evaluation of headache in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Dec. 13, 2010.
  2. Anttila V, et al. Genome-wide association study of migraine implicates a common susceptibility variant on 8q22.1. Nature Genetics. 2010;42:869.
  3. NINDS meningitis and encephalitis information page. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/encephalitis_meningitis/encephalitis_meningitis.htm. Accessed Dec. 23, 2010.
  4. NINDS stroke information page. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/stroke/stroke.htm?css=print. Accessed Dec. 23, 2010.
  5. Taylor FR. Tension-type headache in adults: Pathophysiology, clinical features, and diagnosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Dec. 13, 2010.
  6. Approach to the patient with headache. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec16/ch216/ch216a.html. Accessed Dec. 23, 2010.
  7. Cluster headache. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec16/ch216/ch216b.html. Accessed Dec. 23, 2010.
  8. Headache Classification Subcommittee of the International Headache Society. The international classification of headache disorders: 2nd edition. Cephalalgia. 2004;24(suppl):9.
MY00407 April 7, 2011

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