Bathing headache: a variant of idiopathic thunderclap headache.

Abstract

Bathing headache is rarely described in literature. We report four middle-aged Taiwanese women who developed severe throbbing headache with maximum intensity of onset during bathing. Diffuse cerebral vasospasm was demonstrated in one of them. All their headaches resolved spontaneously (n = 1) or after nimodipine treatment (n = 3). Except for one patient with vasospasm in whom reversible posterior leukoencephalopathy and an asymptomatic cerebellar infarction developed, the others recovered without any complications. The clinical profile of bathing headache points to idiopathic thunderclap headache. It may not be as benign as previously reported. Nimodipine might be effective in treatment of this special headache syndrome.

• Authors: Yi-Chu Liao, Jong-Ling Fuh, Jiing-Feng Lirng, Shiang-Ru Lu, Zin-An Wu, Shuu-Jiun Wang
• Journal: Cephalalgia : an international journal of headache (Cephalalgia) Vol. 23 Issue 9 Pg. 854-9 (Nov 2003) ISSN: 0333-1024 [Print] England
• PMID: 14616926 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Vasodilator Agents
• Nimodipine

Topics

• Adult
• Baths (adverse effects)
• Brain Infarction (etiology)
• Cerebellar Diseases (etiology)
• Cerebellum (blood supply)
• Cerebral Arteries (diagnostic imaging)
• Female
• Headache (classification, diagnostic imaging, drug therapy, etiology)
• Humans
• Hypertension (complications)
• Magnetic Resonance Angiography
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Middle Aged
• Nimodipine (therapeutic use)
• Radiography
• Temperature
• Vasodilator Agents (therapeutic use)
• Vasospasm, Intracranial (etiology)