PAROXYSMAL HEMICRANIA - CASE-STUDIES AND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

Paroxysmal hemicrania is a vascular-type headache that is characterize d by short bouts of severe unilateral pain in the area of the orbit an d temple. A chronic and episodic form that has been described is simil ar to cluster headache and reflects a distinctive temporal pattern. Si gns associated with paroxysmal hemicrania include ipsilateral conjunct ival injection and tearing with nasal congestion and rhinorrhea. The c ondition's absolute response to indomethacin pharmacotherapy different iates paroxysmal hemicrania from cluster headache. Typical symptoms us ually make for a relatively straightforward diagnosis of paroxysmal he micrania, but it may masquerade as pulpitic or temporomandibular-joint -related pain and may even herald systemic disease or malignancy. Paro xysmal hemicrania is a rare syndrome; ill cases have been reported in the literature thus far. All of these cases have been reported by ''he adache specialists''; no cases of paroxysmal hemicrania were found in the dental literature. In this review, a relatively large series of se ven new cases is reported; all seven were seen in an orofacial pain cl inic.