Trigeminal autonomic cephalgia explained

Trigeminal autonomic cephalalgia (TAC) refers to a group of primary headaches that occurs with pain on one side of the head in the trigeminal nerve area and symptoms in autonomic systems on the same side, such as eye watering and redness or drooping eyelids.^{[1] [2]}

Types

TACs include

• Cluster headache
• Paroxysmal hemicrania (chronic or episodic)
• Short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache attacks with conjunctival injection and tearing (SUNCT)
• Short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache attacks with cranial autonomic symptoms (SUNA)
• Long-lasting autonomic symptoms with hemicrania (LASH)

TACs can be differentiated by the length and frequency of recurrence of the headaches.^[3]

Treatment

Treatment for TACs varies depending on the exact type, but can include medication such as Indomethacin (in the case of chronic paroxysmal hemicrania) or acute and prophylactic therapy (in the case of cluster headache).^[4]

Notes and References

1. Diener . Hans Christoph . Tassorelli . Cristina . Dodick . David W. . Management of Trigeminal Autonomic Cephalalgias Including Chronic Cluster: A Review . JAMA Neurology . 1 March 2023 . 80 . 3 . 308–319 . 10.1001/jamaneurol.2022.4804 . 36648786 . 2168-6149. subscription.
2. Book: Swanson . Jerry W. . Bartleson . J. D. . Jankovic . Joseph . Mazziotta . John C. . Pomeroy . Scott L. . Bradley and Daroff's Neurology in Clinical Practice . 2022 . Elsevier . 978-0-323-64261-3 . 249 . 8th . https://books.google.com/books?id=b1slEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA249. en . 20. Cranial and facial pain. Edinburgh. I. Principles of diagnosis.
3. 10.1136/jnnp.2004.036012 . 15716514 . 1739543 . Trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias: Fancy term or constructive change to the IHS classification? . Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry . 76 . 3 . 301–5 . 2005 . Goadsby . P J .
4. Web site: Graff-Radford. Steven. Trigeminal Autonomic Cephalalgias. 12 January 2017. slides.