The Role of Nerve Blocks and Botulinum Toxin Injections in the Management of Cluster Headaches

Overview

Journal Curr Pain Headache Rep

Date 2009 Mar 11

PMID 19272284

Citations 3

Authors

Jessica Ailani

William B Young

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Cluster headache (CH) is a primary headache syndrome that is classified with the trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias. CH treatment involves three steps: acute attack management, transitional therapy, and preventive therapy. Greater occipital nerve block has been shown to be an effective alternative bridge therapy to oral steroids in CH. Botulinum toxin type A has recently been studied as a new preventive treatment for patients with chronic CH, with limited success.

Citing Articles

Management of Trigeminal Neuralgia with Botulinum Toxin Type A: Report of Two Cases.

Pearl C, Moxley B, Perry A, Demian N, Dallaire-Giroux C Dent J (Basel). 2022; 10(11).

PMID: 36354652 PMC: 9689410. DOI: 10.3390/dj10110207.

Designing studies for cluster headache: lessons learned.

Bigal M Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2011; 15(4):235-6.

PMID: 21461652 DOI: 10.1007/s11916-011-0197-z.

Ganglion impar block with botulinum toxin type a for chronic perineal pain -a case report-.

Lim S, Park H, Lee S, Moon D Korean J Pain. 2010; 23(1):65-9.

PMID: 20552077 PMC: 2884216. DOI: 10.3344/kjp.2010.23.1.65.

References

Busch V, Jakob W, Juergens T, Schulte-Mattler W, Kaube H, May A . Functional connectivity between trigeminal and occipital nerves revealed by occipital nerve blockade and nociceptive blink reflexes. Cephalalgia. 2006; 26(1):50-5. DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-2982.2005.00992.x. View

Aoki K . Evidence for antinociceptive activity of botulinum toxin type A in pain management. Headache. 2003; 43 Suppl 1:S9-15. DOI: 10.1046/j.1526-4610.43.7s.3.x. View

Pascual J, Lainez M, Dodick D, Hering-Hanit R . Antiepileptic drugs for the treatment of chronic and episodic cluster headache: a review. Headache. 2007; 47(1):81-9. DOI: 10.1111/j.1526-4610.2007.00653.x. View

Lainez M, Pascual J, Pascual A, Santonja J, Ponz A, Salvador A . Topiramate in the prophylactic treatment of cluster headache. Headache. 2003; 43(7):784-9. DOI: 10.1046/j.1526-4610.2003.03137.x. View

BIGO A, Delrieu F, Bousser M . [Treatment of vascular pain of the face by methylprednisolone injection into the area of the greater occipital nerve: 16 cases]. Rev Neurol (Paris). 1989; 145(2):160-2. View

Durham P, Cady R, Cady R . Regulation of calcitonin gene-related peptide secretion from trigeminal nerve cells by botulinum toxin type A: implications for migraine therapy. Headache. 2004; 44(1):35-42. DOI: 10.1111/j.1526-4610.2004.04007.x. View

May A . Cluster headache: pathogenesis, diagnosis, and management. Lancet. 2005; 366(9488):843-55. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(05)67217-0. View

Blersch W, Schulte-Mattler W, Przywara S, May A, Bigalke H, Wohlfarth K . Botulinum toxin A and the cutaneous nociception in humans: a prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study. J Neurol Sci. 2002; 205(1):59-63. DOI: 10.1016/s0022-510x(02)00313-1. View

Goadsby P, Zagami A . Stimulation of the superior sagittal sinus increases metabolic activity and blood flow in certain regions of the brainstem and upper cervical spinal cord of the cat. Brain. 1991; 114 ( Pt 2):1001-11. DOI: 10.1093/brain/114.2.1001. View

10.

Dodick D, Rozen T, Goadsby P, Silberstein S . Cluster headache. Cephalalgia. 2001; 20(9):787-803. DOI: 10.1046/j.1468-2982.2000.00118.x. View

11.

Young W, Cook B, Malik S, Shaw J, Oshinsky M . The first 5 minutes after greater occipital nerve block. Headache. 2008; 48(7):1126-8. PMC: 4029494. DOI: 10.1111/j.1526-4610.2008.01146.x. View

12.

Young W, Marmura M, Ashkenazi A, Evans R . Expert opinion: greater occipital nerve and other anesthetic injections for primary headache disorders. Headache. 2008; 48(7):1122-5. DOI: 10.1111/j.1526-4610.2008.01192.x. View

13.

Sostak P, Krause P, Forderreuther S, Reinisch V, Straube A . Botulinum toxin type-A therapy in cluster headache: an open study. J Headache Pain. 2007; 8(4):236-41. PMC: 3451674. DOI: 10.1007/s10194-007-0400-0. View

14.

Burns B, Watkins L, Goadsby P . Treatment of medically intractable cluster headache by occipital nerve stimulation: long-term follow-up of eight patients. Lancet. 2007; 369(9567):1099-106. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(07)60328-6. View

15.

Busch V, Jakob W, Juergens T, Schulte-Mattler W, Kaube H, May A . Occipital nerve blockade in chronic cluster headache patients and functional connectivity between trigeminal and occipital nerves. Cephalalgia. 2007; 27(11):1206-14. DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-2982.2007.01424.x. View

16.

Ashkenazi A, Levin M . Greater occipital nerve block for migraine and other headaches: is it useful?. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2007; 11(3):231-5. DOI: 10.1007/s11916-007-0195-3. View

17.

Peres M, Rozen T . Melatonin in the preventive treatment of chronic cluster headache. Cephalalgia. 2002; 21(10):993-5. DOI: 10.1046/j.1468-2982.2001.00307.x. View

18.

Ambrosini A, Vandenheede M, Rossi P, Aloj F, Sauli E, Pierelli F . Suboccipital injection with a mixture of rapid- and long-acting steroids in cluster headache: a double-blind placebo-controlled study. Pain. 2005; 118(1-2):92-6. DOI: 10.1016/j.pain.2005.07.015. View

19.

Peres M, Stiles M, Siow H, Rozen T, Young W, Silberstein S . Greater occipital nerve blockade for cluster headache. Cephalalgia. 2002; 22(7):520-2. DOI: 10.1046/j.1468-2982.2002.00410.x. View

20.

Leone M, DAmico D, Moschiano F, Fraschini F, Bussone G . Melatonin versus placebo in the prophylaxis of cluster headache: a double-blind pilot study with parallel groups. Cephalalgia. 1996; 16(7):494-6. DOI: 10.1046/j.1468-2982.1996.1607494.x. View