Headache

Headache is an all-encompassing term for any type of continuous pain of the head and is one of the most common symptoms in family medicine, as well as one of the most common causes of functional disability. It can be caused by genetics or secondary to a plethora of other conditions, such as hypertension, infections of the central nervous system, traumatic brain injury, etc. For optimal comprehension, the student must be familiarized with the basic anatomy of the brain and the cerebrovascular system, as well as with the conditions which most commonly present with headache. The clinician must be able to detect the “red flags for headache”, which are signs and symptoms that raise the suspicion of a life-threatening underlying condition. In general, most headaches are harmless, but the best physicians are capable of identifying and diagnosing the few cases that require further workup and emergent treatment.