Research presented today at the American Stroke Association's 26th International Stroke Conference may help doctors tell the difference between a headache or migrane and a rare stroke called cerebral venous thrombosis. A severe headache can indicate a stroke, but it could signal a lot of other things too. The American Stroke Association is a division of the American Heart Association. Researchers at the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil have pinpointed some characteristics of headaches that indicate a CVT - the formation of a blood clot in a vein of the brain. CVT is often difficult to diagnose because individuals may experience a wide range of symptoms including headaches, seizures or visual impairments.
Symptoms can occur suddenly or progress for weeks.
M.D. Headache is frequently the first symptom reported by patients arriving in emergency rooms. The Brazilian study aimed to identify the specific characteristics of CVT-related headache to help differentiate CVT from other conditions. Pertinent headache information such as location, severity and duration was recorded on a standardized form. Seventy-four percent of patients with headaches also had weakness, sensory deficits, visual impairments or nausea. Headache onset occurred within 48 hours before seeking medical treatment in 26 percent of patients, while 54 percent of patients reported having chronic headaches for more than 30 days.