Treatment of the Headache

두통의 치료

Headache is a symptom with varied etiologies and extraordinarily frequent. Headaches can be a symptom of another diseases, such as meningitis, subarachnoid hemorrhage or brain tumor, may represent the disease entity itself as the case in migraine. The international Headache Society criteria were the first to distinguish between primary and secondary headache disorders. When evaluating a patient who presents with headache, the physician abviously needs to identify or exclude the myriad conditions that can cause secondary headache and initial diagnostic workup should be considered. If patient meets the criteria for a primary headache disorder, treatment commonly initiated without additional neurodiagnostic tests. The headache type, its associated feature, and the duration and the intensity of the pain attack all can influence the choice of acute therapy in migraine. Pharmacologically, such as NSAIDs, combination analgesics, vasoactive antimigraineous drugs, neuroleptics, antidepressants, or corticosteroids. Other approches to managing headache include a headache diary to identify triggers, biofeedback, relaxation technique and behavioral modification. Daily preventive medication should be considered by his attack frequency and intensity, and maintained for 4 to 6 months. Tension-type headaches are distinguished between episodic and chronic tension-type headache, but physician must make sure that patient is not drug-overuse or independent during symptomatic abortive therapy or preventive medication. The most difficult headache patients to treat are those with chronic daily headache. They often have physical dependency, low frustration tolerance, sleep problems, and depression. So discontinuation of overused medication is crucial. New developments in migraine therapy are broadening the scope of abortive and prophylactic treatment choices available to the physician. The enhanced ease of the use of sumatriptan and DHE will likely increase patient compliance and satisfaction.

두통은 인류의 가장 흔한 호소 중의 하나로 임상에서 흔히 보는 장애이다. 두통은 뇌막염, 뇌출혈, 또는 뇌종양과 같은 다른 질환의 증상일수 있으나, 또한 편두통이나 군발두통 등과 같은 질병 자체로 표현된다. 일차적으로 두통 장애의 역학이나 국제 두통학회의 진단기준을 이해하고 흔치 않으나 심각한 이차적인 두통장애와 감별에 관심을 둬야 한다. 환자가 일차 두통장애의 기준에 맞으면 신경학적 진단검사의 보충이 없어도 치료를 시작한다. 두통 유형, 표현 양상, 동통기간과 강도 등에 따라 진통소염제나 혼합진통제, 혈관작용의 항편두통 약물 또는 신경이완제나 corticosteroid등을 선택한다. 편두통의 빈도와 강도에 따라 예방치료가 보통 4~6개월간 조절한다. 긴장형 두통은 발작성과 만성두통으로 구분되나 치료적으로는 급성완화와 예방치료로 시도된다. 많은 만성매일두통 환자들이 진통제나 ergotamine을 과용하고 있으며 그들의 의존성과 내재된 갈등조절, 수면장애, 우울등으로 과용된 약물의 제한이 쉽지 않다. 치료의 첫단계는 약물을 끊고 조심스럽게 대치요법을 시행한다.