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Diagnostic testing for headache.

R W Evans
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Abstract

A careful and complete headache history supplemented by a neurologic and general physical examination, as appropriate, enables the astute physician to diagnose most headaches correctly without diagnostic testing. When indications are present (see Box 1), some headache patients with a normal physical examination require testing even though the yield may be low. Failure to test may result in misdiagnosis of potentially serious and life-threatening causes of headaches, such as brain tumors, chronic meningitis, SAH, and temporal arteritis.

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Acute DiseaseAdultAgedBrain DiseasesDiagnosis, DifferentialDiagnostic ImagingHeadacheHumansMiddle AgedMigraine DisordersNeurologic ExaminationPhysical ExaminationPredictive Value of TestsJournal ArticleReview

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R W Evans. 2001. Diagnostic testing for headache.. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0025-7125(05)70348-5

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