Secondary headache disorders

These include a new headache occurring with another lesion capable of causing it. e.g., headache attributed to intracranial tumour

These are grouped as headache attributed to the following conditions (1):

• head and neck trauma
• cranial and cervical vascular disorders
• nonvascular intracranial disorder
• a substance or its withdrawal
• infection
• psychiatric disorder
• other facial or cranial structures
• disorders of homeostasis

Diagnostic criteria for secondary headaches include:

• 1.another disorder known to be able to cause headache should be present
• 2.headache should occur in close temporal relationship to other disorder
• 3. headache should closely resolve or reduce within three months of succesfull treatment or spontaneous resolution of the causative lesion.

Reference:

• (1) Headache classification subcommittee of the international headache society. The international classification of headache disorders.2nd edition. Cephalagia 2004; 1:24