Secondary Headache course
This session describes the presentation and investigation of patients with a headache that has an underlying pathological cause.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this session you will be able to:
- Differentiate between common types of secondary headache
- Identify possible causes for secondary headache
- Describe red flag signs for secondary headache
- Describe the investigations that are appropriate for secondary headache
Although migraine is the most commonly diagnosed headache, healthcare workers need to know what questions to ask to elicit the necessary information to differentiate between all the possible causes of headache, so that they can provide the appropriate investigations and treatment.
Callum trained in General Medicine in Aberdeen, Neurology in Aberdeen and Edinburgh, and Headache in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
He is a Consultant Neurologist at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary where he has run a Headache clinic, along with Dr David Watson (GPwSI Headache), since 2008.
He developed an interest in headache as a Specialist Registrar and has a particular interest in the assessment of acute (potentially sinister) headache, the management of chronic migraine and medication overuse headache and headache education. He was Secretary of project group that wrote the SIGN guideline 107, Diagnosis and Management of Headache in Adults, and a member of the headache sub-group for the Quality Improvement Scotland Neurology Standards, published in 2009.
Callum is a content author with the ePAIN project
John Hughes has been a Consultant in Anaesthetics and Pain Management since 1995.
John has a special interest in abdominal and pelvic pain. He also has a long-standing involvement in education across all disciplines.
John is a module editor with the e-PAIN project.
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