TURTLE HEADACHE

Course overview

TURTLE HEADACHE IS A SUBTYPE OF THE BROADER CATEGORY OF HYPNIC HEADACHE. THIS CONDITION IS A RARE, EPISODIC HEADACHE SYNDROME FIRST DESCRIBED IN LATE 1980. HYPNIC HEADACHES CAN OCCUR AS EITHER A PRIMARY HEADACHE DISORDER OR POTENTIALLY SECONDARY TO A MALIGNANT PROCESS. THIS TYPE OF HEADACHE HAS ALSO BEEN REFERRED TO AS "CLOCK-WISE" HEADACHES OR AN "ALARM CLOCK" HEADACHES DUE TO ITS CLINICAL FEATURES. IT CHARACTERISTICALLY DEMONSTRATES A STRICTLY SLEEP-ASSOCIATED HEADACHE WITH A REPETITIVE PATTERN IN THE SENSE THAT IT OCCURS AT THE SAME TIME EVERY NIGHT. ACCORDING TO THE ICHD-3 CRITERIA, ATTACKS HAVE TO OCCUR ON AT LEAST 10 DAYS A MONTH FOR GREATER THAN 3 MONTHS AND LAST FOR 15 MINUTES UP TO 4 HOURS AFTER WAKING. THIS ACTIVITY OUTLINES THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF TURTLE HEADACHES AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL HEALTH CARE TEAM IN EVALUATING, MANAGING, AND TREATING PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.