Miraine Presenting As Chronic Facial Pain

Acta Neurologica Belgica
2009, N° 3 (Vol. 109/3) p.235-237 F. Debruyne and L. Herroelen, Headache Clinic, Department of Neurology, University Hospital UZ Gasthuisberg, Leuven, Belgium

Abstract:
We report the case of a 44 year old woman with chronic facial pain. She was treated with several analgesics, prophylactic medications and infiltrations, but all treatment modalities were ineffective. Finally, the diagnosis of medication-overuse headache complicating migraine without aura was made and an appropriate treatment was initiated. Migraine is a very common primary headache and rarely presents as isolated facial pain. Stimulation of the dura with activation of the trigeminovascular system can result in pain in any of the three divisions of the trigeminal nerve. This is the anatomic basis of migraine pain presenting as referred pain to the second division of the trigeminal nerve. The atypical presentation of migraine pain can easily lead to inappropriate treatment regimens