This volume of Frontiers in Headache Research focuses on cluster heada che and other closely related conditions. Although underdiagnosed, clu ster headache is a severe form of primary headache. Its relatively ste reotypical clinical presentation makes it a prime candidates for resea rch; this concentrated attention has resulted in significant advances in our understanding of the neurological pathways involved and the tre atment options available. The contributing authors are all internation al experts in the field.

A new era in the treatment of migraine headache arrived with development of a revolutionary class of drugs known as the triptans.
The book describes the development in this class of drugs, starting with the discovery of sumatriptin, covers the pharmacology and the mechanisms of action of the full range of triptans, before comparing their clinical efficacy and tolerability. Each drug is described by the company who produces it and then reviewed, based on experimental and clinical evidence, by independent scientists.
This comprehensive review will provide clinicians with guidance on which...

This is the first book devoted to the study of the social and economic consequences of headache. Reducing the Public Burden of Headache analyses the financial cost of headache diseases, the disability and suffering they cause and the impact they have on the quality of life and the sufferers and their families.
These are issues of major importance; migraine appears in the top 20 list of diseases ranked according to years lived with the disability. Headache, in general, is thought to account for approximately 20% of all days lost from work. Of even greater importance is the impact on...

This book covers the growing body of research aimed at developing medications which can be taken on a regular basis to prevent headaches from starting.

The new international classification of headache disorders (IHCD-2) contains precise diagnostic criteria for headache disorders, but it is very difficult to read. The book, edited by the chairman of the classification committee, provides an invaluable insight for all those who diagnose headache in their daily practice. This book follows the International Headache Classification, but expands on it by discussing the background of the various diagnoses, the pitfalls and the practical problems in interpretation, and thus provides a more comprehensive source for those diagnosing headache...

Though the topics of pain and headache are obviously linked, these two research fields have in recent years developed at their own pace, often with scant attention paid to the other. This book brings together researchers and clincians from the forefront of these two disciplines to explore how the basic pain mechanisms relate to migraine and other forms of headache.

There are few specialised headache centres throughout the world and those that do exist are often not developed enough to provide the services required. This book takes a look at the current situation examining the organisation of headache clinics, methods of diagnosis and treatment and how the future of headache clinics can be improved. Headache is a huge public health problem and migraine alone cost 27 billion Euros per year in Europe. It is therefore important how the health care service for headache patients is organised throughout the world. Patients seen at headache clinics are more...

Migraine treatment improved considerably with the advent of the 'triptans' in the 1990s. While the drugs used previously for headache treatment had efficacy, some compounds had bothersome side effects and their overuse could lead to severe complications. In the early days of the triptans, it was widely presumed that migraine was no longer a treatment problem. However, it has gradually been recognized that a significant proportion of patients are not responsive to triptans or do not tolerate them. It is now clear that, even with effective treatment, patients with frequent migraine attacks are...