Title

Hemicrania continua-like headache associated with carotid dissection may respond to indomethacin

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

January 2007

Comments

Embargoed until January 2008. This article has been peer reviewed. It is the authors' final version prior to publication in Headache 47(1):127-130, January 2007. The published version is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1526-4610.2006.00637.x. Copyright (c) 2006 by Blackwell Publishing Inc.

Abstract

Hemicrania continua (HC) is an idiopathic, chronic disorder characterized by a continuous, strictly unilateral headache associated with ipsilateral cranial autonomic symptoms. The symptoms of HC typically respond dramatically to indomethacin therapy. We describe a patient with traumatic internal carotid artery (ICA) dissection, who presented with a clinical picture mimicking HC that initially responded to indomethacin. Patients with a clinical picture similar to HC should be managed with a high index of suspicion for a possible cervical arterial dissection.