Contact point headache: Diagnosis and management in a tertiary care center in Northeast India

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Headache in the absence of infection or inflammation and other causes may be related with some anatomical abnormalities of nose called contact point headache. Our objective was to study endoscopic and radiological nasal findings of contact point headache and their outcomes after surgery in patients attending department of otorhinolaryngology, tertiary care teaching hospital/center in Northeast India. Study Design: A prospective study. Materials and Methods: A total of fifty patients attending ear, nose, and throat outpatient department and diagnosed as contact point headache were selected after a detailed history of symptoms through questionnaires, diagnostic nasal endoscopy, computed tomography scan, and a positive xylocaine-adrenaline test. All the patients underwent surgery. Pre- and post-operative pain score (visual analog score [VAS]), mean frequency of pain, and mean duration of each attack were noted for comparison. Data collected were analyzed using appropriate tools. Results: A total of thirty males and twenty females were included in the study. At the end of 12-month follow-up, pain score (VAS) reduced from 7.47 with standard deviation (SD) of ± 1.6–0.2 with SD of ± 0.59 postsurgery and the mean frequency of pain reduced from 9.10 with SD of ± 2.86–0.22 with SD of ± 0.67. Both were statistically significant. Conclusion: Contact point headache is a common cause of headache in Northeast India and surgery is effective in a carefully selected cases.