Classification (types) of headache

Over the years, various classifications of headaches have been proposed, but some did not suit clinicians, others - scientists involved in the study of the pathophysiological mechanisms of the onset and development of cephalothia.

In 1988, the International Headache Society proposed a universal classification, which became the most convenient not only for specialists, but also for doctors of any profile. It covers a large list of diseases in which one of the leading symptoms is a headache. This allows you to include in it not specifically identified, but accepted in the domestic practice, syndromes, for example, vegetative-vascular dystonia (IUD), myofascial pain, which can be a frequent cause (companion) of the headache.

There are primary and secondary types of headache:

1. Primary headache is an independent nosological form, which includes migraine, cluster or cluster headaches, chronic paroxysmal hemicrania and headaches of muscle tension.
2. Secondary or symptomatic headaches caused by any disease (traumatic brain injury, cerebral vascular pathology, tumors, etc.).

Other classifications are of great interest. L.O. Badalyan et al. (1991) proposes to distinguish four groups of headaches:

1. acute;
2. acute repetitive;
3. chronic progressive;
4. chronic non-progressive.

This division allows us to characterize the headache by the time criterion (during the period of life).

Practically, the pathogenetic classification of headache, which connects the type of headache with the leading pathophysiological mechanism, is very relevant. According to this classification, the following types of headache are distinguished:

1. vascular headache;
2. headache of muscle tension;
3. liquorodynamic headache;
4. neuralgic headache;
5. mixed headache;
6. psihalgicheskaya headache. 

Some of these types of headaches are divided into a number of subtypes based on the leading pathophysiological mechanism.

These classifications are based on the following considerations. If it is a question of diagnosis, then it is necessary to use the generally accepted international classification. To select the method and tactics of treatment, it is advisable to isolate the types of headache by the pathophysiological mechanism and the nature of the course (time criterion).

Classification of headache

No.	Category	Characteristic	Frequency of appearance in primary care
1	Migraine	With aura, without aura	Widespread (may not be seen in the diagnosis)
2	Tension headache (tension headache)	Acute, chronic	The most widespread (the diagnosis can be made even in the absence of it)
3	"Histamine" - cluster headache and chronic paroxysmal hemicrania	Occurs occasionally, chronic	Rarely
4	A variety of headaches that are not associated with structural lesions	Cough, physical stress, sexual intercourse (orgasmic), external compression, cold	Rarely
5	Associated with head trauma	Acute, chronic	Frequency of appearance variable
6th	Associated with the disruption of the vascular system	IHD or stroke, subdural hematoma, epidural hematoma, subarachnoid hemorrhage, arterio-venous malformation, AH	This condition is usually not characterized by a mere headache
7th	Associated with intracranial disorders that do not affect the functioning of the vascular system	High or low pressure of cerebrospinal fluid, infection, swelling	Rarely
8	Associated with the abuse of drugs, narcotic substances or their sudden absence (abuzusnye)	Iatrogenic disease, carbon monoxide, alcohol and drug withdrawal syndrome	Frequency of occurrence variable, infrequent (may not be seen during diagnosis)
9	Headaches caused by out-of-cerebral infections	Viral, bacterial and other infections. Systematically, centrally	Frequency of occurrence is variable, widespread
10	Associated with metabolic disorders	Hypoxia, hypercapnia, hypoglycemia	Occurs infrequently
Eleven	Associated with diseases and structural abnormalities in the structure of the head and neck	Diseases of the skull, neck, eyes, ears, nose, paranasal sinuses, teeth, oral cavity or other facial or cranial structures	Very common
12	Neuralgia and the accompanying state of health	Neuropathy, shingles, neuralgia of the cranial nerves	Occurs infrequently to be considered a "headache"
13	Cases that can not be classified	Cases of "mixed" and non-traditional type	Wide use

[1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9]