20Apr 2018

CLINICAL PROFILE OF HEADACHE IN PATIENTS ATTENDING TERTIARY CARE CENTER

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HEADACHE is a very common complaint of the patients visiting doctors. Headache occurs in all age groups. On a global basis headache is responsible for more disability than any other neurological problem. The present study is a study of the clinical profile of headache in the patients attending the tertiary care center, in which 100 such cases were studied. In the present study the prevalence of headache was more common in female (64%) as compared to male (36%). The tension type headache was more common in female as compared to male (male to female ratio of 1:1.5). Also the migraine headache was found to be more common among female than male (male to female ratio of 1:2.55). The peak prevalence of headache in the present study was seen in 21 to 30 years age group, accounting for 42% of the total cases. The prevalence in the age group of 20 years and less is 7%, in 31 to 40 years is 17%, 41-50 years is 14%, 51-60 years is 10% and 60 years or more is 10%. Headache was found to be more common in married patients (80%) as compared to unmarried patients (20%).In the present study the prevalence of headache was maximum among housewives accounting for 46% of total patients, followed by laborers (13%), farmers (13%) and students (11%). Among the headache types, the most common was the primary headache (77%) as compared to secondary headache (23%). The most common headache type among primary headache was tension type headache (58.4%) and second most common type was migraine headache (41.6%). In the present study maximum patients (30%) had their symptom duration between 6 to 12 months. In the present study maximum patients had 6 to 14 episodes of headache per month which accounted for 44% of the total cases, while 32% patients had 5 or less episodes per month, 2% had 15 0r more episodes per month and 22% had continuous headache. In the present study, 55% patients had each episode of headache lasting for around 1 to 12 hours, while 19% had each episode lasting for more than 24 hours, 4% had each episode for 13 to 24 hours and 22% had continuous headache. The most common site of pain was bilateral in 68% of patients, while 32% patients had unilateral headache. The most common type of pain was steady in 64% of the patients while 36% patients had throbbing pain. The intensity of pain of headache was moderate in72% of patients, while it was severe in 24% of the patients and mild in 4% of the patients. 89% patients had headache involving frontal region, 88% involved parietal region, 89% involved temporal region and 73% involved occipital region. Sleep deprivation was found to be precipitating factor in 8.9% patients of tension type headache and 28% patients of migraine headache, while bright light was precipitating factor in 6.7% cases of tension headache and 15.6% cases of migraine headache. Stress was the most common precipitating factor in 66.7% cases of tension headache and 46.9% cases of migraine headache. In the present study, analgesic medications were found to be relieving factors in 48.9% patients of tension type headache and 37.5% patients of migraine headaches, while dark and quiet environment was a relieving factor in 13.3% cases of tension headache and 25% cases of migraine headaches. In the present study nausea was an associated symptom in 6.67% of patients with tension type headache and 31.25% patients with migraine headache, vomiting was associated with 2.2% of patients with tension headache and 15.6% of patients with migraine headache while photophobia was associated with 25% of patients with migraine headache. In the present study migraine headache without aura (56.25%) was more common than migraine with aura (43.75%), positive family history was found only in 18.75% patients with migraine headache. In the present study, menstrual aggravation of the headache symptoms was found in 21.74% of female patients with migraine headache. In the present study 86% of patients with headache had normal CT Scan findings, while among 77 patients with primary headache, 74 patients had normal CT Scan (96%) and among 23 patients with secondary headache, 12 patients had normal CT Scan (52%).


[DR MANSI P SHAH (2018); CLINICAL PROFILE OF HEADACHE IN PATIENTS ATTENDING TERTIARY CARE CENTER Int. J. of Adv. Res. 6 (Apr). ] (ISSN 2320-5407). www.journalijar.com


DR MANSI P SHAH
MP SHAH MEDICAL COLLEGE JAMNAGAR, SAURASHTRA UNIVERSITY
India