Citation

Finkel AG, Yerry J, Scher A, Choi YS. Headache 2012; 52(6): 957-965.

Affiliation

Womack Army Medical Center, Ft. Bragg, NC, USA (A.G. Finkel, J. Yerry, and Y.S. Choi); Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD, USA (A. Scher); Carolina Headache Institute, Chapel Hill, NC, USA (A.G. Finkel); Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Centers, Rockville, MD, USA (A.G. Finkel).

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, American Headache Society; American Association for the Study of Headache, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1526-4610.2012.02167.x

PMID

22568576

Abstract

Objective.- The primary goal of this study was to use headache criteria-based classification for headache types described by service members. Background.- Headache is common in soldiers returning from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. To date, few papers have provided detailed descriptions of these headaches. Methods.- The first 25 patients seen by a certified headache specialist at the Traumatic Brain Injury Center at Womack Army Medical Center, Fort Bragg, NC, between August 2008 and December 2009 are reported. Results.- Service members described a total of 55 headaches. Most, but not all, headaches began within 1 week after injury. Migraine type was most common. Aura occurred in 5 soldiers. Continuous headaches were described in 88%. Uncommon headache types including cluster type were diagnosed. Additional symptoms and service outcomes are described. Conclusions.- We conclude that headaches occurring after various types of head injury, including explosions, can be assigned primary and secondary headache diagnoses using standard classifications not necessarily available to larger survey-based studies.

Language: en