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Headache - assessment - Management
Basis for recommendation
When to suspect migraine
- This recommendation is based on evidence on the sensitivity and specificity of a simple screening tool for migraine [Lipton et al, 2003].
- A self-assessment questionnaire (that screened for migraine based on headache severity, sensitivity to light, and nausea) was completed by 451 people presenting with headache in primary care.
- This was compared with a gold-standard assessment carried out by a headache expert using the International classification of headache disorders diagnostic criteria for migraine.
- Screening for migraine using the self-assessment questionnaire achieved:
- A sensitivity of 0.81 (95% CI 0.77 to 0.85).
- A specificity of 0.75 (95% CI 0.64 to 0.84).
When to suspect tension-type headache
- This recommendation is based on expert opinion [SIGN, 2008].
Diagnostic features of migraine and tension-type headache
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