Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Posttraumatic headache in combat soldiers and civilians: What factors influence the expression of tension-type versus migraine headache?

  • Published:
Current Pain and Headache Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is highly prevalent in the United States and a common cause of posttraumatic headache (PTH) and disability. The criteria that define PTH include timelines and features that are not based on clearly established physiologic data and may result in the underrecognition and incorrect treatment of these headaches. A clear understanding of the classification of PTH becomes even more elusive when one takes into account combat-related head injuries, which are also highly prevalent and frequently lead to headaches with features that are different from those suffered by civilians with PTH. The fact that tensiontype headache phenotypes are uncommon in military personnel with PTH suggests that there are features unique to the combat environment, which may predispose to the development of migraine. Further insight may also be obtained from soldiers with PTH with regard to the true pathophysiology and timelines of headache in the context of TBI.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References and Recommended Reading

  1. Rasmussen BK, Jensen R, Schroll M, Olesen J: Epidemiology of headache in a general population: a prevalence study. J Clin Epidemiol 1991, 44: 1147–1157.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Dowson A, Dahlof C, Tepper S, et al.: The prevalence and diagnosis of migraine in a primary care setting. Cephalalgia 2002, 22: 590–591.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Headache Classification Subcommittee of the International Headache Society: The International Classification of Headache Disorders, 2nd edn. Cephalalgia 2004, 24: 1–160.

    Google Scholar 

  4. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control: Report to Congress on mild traumatic brain injury in the United States: steps to prevent a serious public health problem. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/pub-res/mtbi/mtbireport.pdf. Accessed August 2009.

  5. Langlois JA, Rutland-Brown W, Thomas KE: Traumatic brain injury in the United States: emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and deaths. US Department of Health and Human Services, CDC; 2004. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/pub-res/TBI_in_US_04/TBI%20in%20the%20US_Jan_2006.pdf. Accessed August 2009.

  6. Gurr B, Coetzer BR: The effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy for post-traumatic headaches. Brain Inj 2005, 19: 481–491.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Thurman DJ: The epidemiology and economics of head trauma. In Head Trauma: Basic, Preclinical, and Clinical Directions. Edited by Miller L, Hayes R. New York: John Wiley and Sons; 2001.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Lenaerts ME: Post-traumatic headache: from classification challenges to biological underpinnings. Cephalalgia 2008, 28(Suppl 1): 12–15.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Theeler BJ, Erickson JC: Mild head trauma and chronic headaches in returning US soldiers. Headache 2009, 49: 529–534.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Lew HL, Lin PH, Fuh JL, et al.: Characteristics and treatment of headache after traumatic brain injury: a focused review. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2006, 619–627.

  11. Linder SL: Post-traumatic headache. Curr Pain Headache Rep 2007, 11: 396–400.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Walker WC, Seel RT, Curtiss G, Warden DL: Headache after moderate and severe traumatic brain injury: a longitudinal analysis. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2005, 86: 1793–1800.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Bettucci D, Aguggia M, Bolamperti L, et al.: Chronic post-traumatic headache associated with minor cranial trauma: a description of cephalalgic patterns. Ital J Neurol Sci 1998, 19: 20–24.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Baandrup L, Jensen R: Chronic post-traumatic headache: a clinical analysis in relation to the International Headache Classification 2nd edn. Cephalalgia 2005, 25: 132–138.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Haas D: Traumatic-event headaches. BMC Neurol 2004, 4: 17.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Hoge CW, McGurk D, Thomas JL, et al.: Mild traumatic brain injury in U.S. soldiers returning from Iraq. N Engl J Med 2008, 358: 453–463.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Neely ET, Midgette LA, Scher AI: Clinical review and epidemiology of headache disorders in US service members: with emphasis on post-traumatic headache. Headache 2009, 49: 1089–1096.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Evans R: Posttraumatic headaches among United States soldiers injured in Afghanistan and Iraq. Headache 2008, 48: 1216–1225.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, 5777 East Mayo Boulevard, Phoenix, AZ, 85054, USA

    Bert B. Vargas

Authors
  1. Bert B. Vargas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Bert B. Vargas.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Vargas, B.B. Posttraumatic headache in combat soldiers and civilians: What factors influence the expression of tension-type versus migraine headache?. Current Science Inc 13, 470–473 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-009-0082-1

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-009-0082-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation