Headache And Episodic Neurologic Disorders Practice Test

A 42-year-old woman with a history of migraines reports that her headaches have been increasing in frequency over the past year. She now experiences debilitating, unilateral, throbbing headaches 5-7 times per month, causing her to miss work on at least two of those days. She uses over-the-counter naproxen and prescription rizatriptan for acute attacks, which helps shorten the duration but does not prevent their occurrence. She is frustrated with the impact on her quality of life.

A 45-year-old man presents with a 2-week history of recurrent, debilitating headaches. He reports that the headaches occur once or twice daily, often waking him from sleep. The pain is extremely severe, sharp, and centered behind his right eye. Each episode lasts for about 60 minutes and is accompanied by right-sided tearing, eye redness, and nasal stuffiness. During the attacks, he feels restless and paces the room.