DefinePK

Abstract

Objective: To assess the prevalence, patterns and symptoms of headache in patients presenting with headache. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Settings: Department of Neurology, Allama Iqbal Memorial Teaching Hospital, Sialkot Pakistan. Duration: 1st July 2023 to 1st March 2024. Methods: A total of 326 consecutive patients aged 13-65 years and belonging to either gender presenting to the outdoor of neurology department were included in this study. A predesigned questionnaire was used to record the data regarding prevalence, patterns and symptoms of headache. Results: Prevalence was highest in age group 31-60 with 131 (40.2%) patients. Majority of the patients 196 (60.1%) suffered from headache 1 to 4 weeks. Most of the patients 210 (64.4%) suffered this headache daily. This headache would continue 1-3 days to most of the patients, 233 (71.5%). The most common headache pattern was of whole head and suffered 125 (38.4%) patients. According to pain assessment scale, 224 (68.8%) patients had severe (7-10), 66 (20.2%) had moderate (4-6) and 36 (11.0%) patients had mild (0-3) headache. The most common symptoms during headache were nausea, vomit and dizziness found in 111 (34.0%) and 73 (22.4%) patients, respectively. Majority of the patients 204 (62.6%) felt headache during stress. 31 (9.5%) patients had family history of headache. It was seen that fatigue was the most common warning symptom before headache as 106 (32.5%). Conclusion: Headache has variety of patterns and symptoms with variable with migraine headache type occurring most commonly followed by tension type headache.