Nummular headache and pituitary lesion: A case report and literature review

Abstract

Nummular headache (NH) is a newly categorized headache disorder characterized by a consistent clinicographics in each attack. Currently, it is considered as a primary headache disorder due to epicranial neuralgia but the pathomechanism is still unknown. We report a woman, whose recurrent NH subsided after trans-sphenoidal surgery for her pituitary oncocytoma. The recovery of NH in this patient encourages the central mechanism for NH occurrence. After a review of literature concerning, NH and intracranial secondaries we propose that central NH is a referral pain from pain-sensitive structures, such as meninges, superimposing by pre-existing lower pain threshold or pain modulation.

Keywords

• Headache
• nummular headache
• oncocytoma
• pituitary
• referred pain