Headache and Vasculitis

Uncommon Headache Syndromes (J Ailani, Section Editor)
First Online:
Part of the following topical collections:
  1. Topical Collection on Uncommon Headache Syndromes

Abstract

Although headaches are common in the general population and have many causes, headaches secondary to inflammatory processes in the blood vessels in the Central Nervous System (CNS) are not so common. The most common types of vasculitis that are associated with headaches include primary CNS vasculitis, systemic necrotizing arteritis, granulomatous vasculitis, and systemic collagen diseases. It is important to differentiate between “true” vasculitides and a condition known and reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS). While treatment for many of the vasculitides consists of anti-inflammatory medications, this approach may produce significant complications in RCVS. It is up to the clinician to judiciously use imaging and laboratory data to reach the proper diagnosis and therefore offer the correct treatment to these patients.

Keywords

Vasculitis Headache Inflammation CNS Migraine 
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Notes

Disclosure

No potential conflicts of interest relevant to this article were reported.

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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media New York 2013

Authors and Affiliations

  • J. Ivan Lopez
    • 1
  • Ashley Holdridge
    • 2
  • Julio Chalela
    • 3
  1. 1.Renown Institute for NeurosciencesRenoUSA
  2. 2.University of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamUSA
  3. 3.Medical University of South CarolinaCharlestonUSA

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