Headache Medicine: a Crossroads of Otolaryngology, Ophthalmology, and Neurology

Headache Medicine: a Crossroads of Otolaryngology, Ophthalmology, and Neurology

FEATURE STORY NEURO-OPHTHALMOLOGY Headache Medicine: a Crossroads of Otolaryngology, Ophthalmology, and Neurology Numerous symptoms can suggest both ophthalmological and neurological disorders. BY PAUL G. MATHEW, MD, FAHS rimary headaches are a set of complex pain disor- part of the diagnostic criteria for migraine, in a study of ders that can have a heterogeneous presentation. 786 migraine patients (625 women, 61 men), 56% of the Some of these presentations can often involve subjects experienced autonomic symptoms, but these symptoms that suggest otolaryngological and symptoms tended to be bilateral.2 Pophthalmological diagnoses. In this second installment In addition to pain around the orbit, migraines can of a two-part series, the symptoms and diagnoses that also commonly involve blurry vision,3 which tends to overlap between ophthalmology and neurology will be occur during the headache phase of the migraine and addressed (please see the March 2014 issue of Cataract increases as the intensity of the pain peaks. Blurry vision & Refractive Surgery Today for the otolaryngology install- should not be confused with migraine visual aura. Visual ment of this series). The two main complaints that auras by definition are fully reversible, homonymous patients present with for ophthalmology consultations visual symptoms that can involve positive features are eye pain and visual disturbances. When ophthalmo- (scintillating scotomas, fortification spectrum) and/or logical evaluations including slit-lamp examinations and negative features (areas of visual loss). Visual auras typi- tonometry are unremarkable, other diagnostic possibili- cally last from 5 to 60 minutes and can be accompanied ties should be considered. by other aura phenomena in succession such as sensory or speech disturbances.1 A major misconception about MIGRAINE AND CLUSTER HEADACHE migraine aura is that it must occur prior to the onset The numerous causes of eye pain include blepharitis, of the headache. This is often not the case in clinical iritis, keratitis, conjunctivitis, glaucoma, and corneal abra- practice. A multicenter study that included 267 patients sions. Patients with both migraine and cluster headache demonstrated that the majority of patients experienced can also present with pain that is focused around the aura during the early headache phase of their migraine.4 orbit. Patients with cluster headache often describe the A migraine subtype known as basilar migraine can pain as stabbing in quality with a location in or behind involve visual aura symptoms simultaneously in both the eye. The pain of cluster headache can also be accom- temporal and nasal fields of both eyes as well as diplopia. panied by an orbital foreign body sensation. Cluster head- The term basilar migraine was coined by Bickerstaff in ache is a trigeminal autonomic cephalgia (cluster head- 1961, who suggested that basilar artery vasoconstriction ache, short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache with is part of the pathophysiology of this migraine subtype.5 conjunctival injection and tearing or SUNCT, short-lasting To date, there has not been any significant evidence unilateral neuralgiform headache attacks with cranial suggesting that posterior circulation oligemia or isch- autonomic symptoms or SUNA, paroxysmal hemicrania, emia occur as part of the pathophysiology of basilar hemicrania continua), which consists of hemicranial head- migraine. As such, migraine with brainstem aura is the aches that can involve ipsilateral ptosis, conjunctival injec- new terminology that is used for this disorder in the tion, and lacrimation. These features, along with eye pain, The International Classification of Headache Disorders can be very suggestive of an ophthalmological disorder to 3rd edition beta version, a test version of the classifica- the unknowing patient or provider, rather than a primary tion that was released prior to the pending release of headache disorder.1 Although autonomic features are not the finalized version.6 Monocular positive and/or nega- JULY 2014 CATARACT & REFRACTIVE SURGERY TODAY 43 FEATURE STORY NEURO-OPHTHALMOLOGY tive visual disturbances associated with migraines are Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein categorized as retinal migraines. Making this diagnosis are both reasonable first-line tests; however, up to 1.2% can be difficult, as many patients will often consider the of patients with TA can have normal values.11 TA also hemianopsia associated with classical visual aura to be involves branches of the aorta with frequent involvement a problem of a single eye rather than a binocular defect. of the extracranial branches of the carotid artery. TA Examining a patient during an attack would be an opti- involves areas of segmental mononuclear cell inflamma- mal but impractical solution. As such, having the patient tory infiltrates, often with giant cells, which can lead to evaluate the visual disturbance with one eye closed can normal temporal artery biopsy results in up to 15% of the help to confirm this diagnosis.1 As with any migraine- cases.12 Even in cases with negative test results, if there is related visual disturbance, retinal migraine is a diagnosis a high index of suspicion based on clinical presentation, of exclusion, and other causes of monocular visual loss treatment with steroids should be pursued, as permanent should be considered. vision loss or blindness can result from untreated TA. ARTERIAL DISSECTIONS OPTIC NEURITIS For patients with eye pain in the setting of trauma, arte- Consider optic neuritis in younger patients that pre- rial dissections should be considered. In one study of sent with monocular vision loss and eye pain. Some of the 135 subjects with internal carotid artery dissection, 60% hallmark features of optic neuritis include pain with eye presented with anterior headache that was typically ipsi- movement and color desaturation. Although optic neuri- lateral to the side of the dissection, and 10% had eye, facial, tis can occur in isolation, it can be a presenting symptom or ear pain without headache.7 Even after radiographic of multiple sclerosis or neuromyelitis optica. With both of resolution of the dissection, up to 25% of patients can these disorders, patients will often have a remote history experience chronic persistent headaches and/or pain.8 of transient focal weakness, numbness, and vision changes It is estimated that about 25% of patients with carotid that resolved spontaneously. Based on clinical suspicion, artery dissections experience Horner syndrome due to magnetic resonance imaging of the brain with contrast, damage of the oculosympathetic pathway. Horner syn- spinal imaging, lumbar puncture, and/or aquaporin-4 drome due to damage to the internal carotid artery can antibody testing should be considered. Treatment with result in ptosis and miosis but typically not anhydrosis. intravenous methylprednisolone for 3 days followed by The sympathetic fibers responsible for facial sweating an oral prednisone taper has demonstrated a decrease in have a more proximal branching point and travel along optic neuritis recovery time, and patients tended to have the external carotid artery. Up to 56% of patients with better outcomes at 6 months.13 carotid dissections can experience cerebral ischemia in the form of a transient ischemic attack or stroke.9 In IDIOPATHIC INTRACRANIAL HYPERTENSION another study, 28% of subjects suffered from transient Visual deficits in an obese patient with headaches can monocular visual loss due to ischemic optic neuropathy, be suggestive of idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH; and 16% experienced scintillations that were thought pseudotumor cerebri). Although normal-weight individ- to be due to acute choroidal hypoperfusion. Of these uals can also have IIH, it is a diagnosis that mostly affects patients who experienced monocular visual symptoms obese women. A lumbar puncture demonstrating an due to carotid artery dissection, 36% subsequently expe- opening pressure of more than 200 mm H2O in normal- 10 rienced a nonreversible ocular or hemispheric stroke. weight individuals or more than 250 mm H2O in obese As such, a history of even mild neck trauma in a patient patients can confirm the diagnosis. In addition to being with ipsilateral pain, monocular visual symptoms, and/ diagnostic, lumbar punctures can be therapeutic, as the or Horner syndrome should trigger further evaluation, withdrawal of cerebrospinal fluid to reduce pressure to 1 because the early diagnosis and treatment of carotid dis- 120 to 170 mm H2O can improve headaches. section can potentially prevent permanent deficits. Patients with IIH can suffer from transient visual obscurations, which, in untreated cases, can progress TEMPORAL ARTERITIS to optic neuropathy and even blindness. In such cases, In the setting of a patient over the age of 50 years emergency optic nerve fenestration should be pursued. with eye pain with or without visual changes, temporal Headaches in the setting of IIH tend to improve when arteritis (TA) should certainly enter the differential diag- the individual is upright and worsen with lying flat. As nosis. Other symptoms suggestive of this diagnosis are such, many patients can experience their worst pain temporal artery prominence, temporal regional tender- upon awakening in the morning. Patients with IIH can ness, jaw claudication, tongue claudication, and fever. also present with papilledema, sixth-nerve palsy, nausea, 44 CATARACT & REFRACTIVE SURGERY TODAY JULY 2014 FEATURE STORY NEURO-OPHTHALMOLOGY

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