MedSchoolSOS

1. Big picture

Headache classification is an exam topic because the first clinical task is not to give analgesics; it is to decide:

Is this a primary headache, or is it a symptom of another dangerous disease?

The key division is:

Main group	Meaning	Treatment logic
Primary / idiopathic headache	The headache itself is the disease; no structural lesion explains it	Treat the headache syndrome
Secondary / symptomatic headache	Headache is a symptom of another disorder	Treat the underlying cause
Cranial neuralgias and facial pains	Pain from cranial nerves or facial pain syndromes	Treat the neuralgia/facial pain mechanism

The m