RECURRENT NECK PAIN AS A VARIANT OF MIGRAINE - DESCRIPTION OF 4 CASES

Four patients who had recurrent attacks of idiopathic unilateral neck pain and tenderness of the ipsilateral carotid artery are described. T wo patients had never had headache. The other two had migraine without aura. All patients had dilatation of extracranial arteries during the attacks (telethermographic examination), oculosympathetic hypofunctio n (pupillary tests), and positive responses to vasoactive drugs which are commonly used for migraine treatment. Recurrent neck pain involvin g the carotid artery seems to be a variant form of migraine that may o ccur alone or in association with headache in patients with involvemen t of extracranial arteries.