Brain Neurorehabil.  2012 Sep;5(2):62-67. 10.12786/bn.2012.5.2.62.

Complications of Traumatic Brain Injury: Post-traumatic Headache and Epilepsy

• Chang JH

• KMID: 2270742
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.12786/bn.2012.5.2.62

Abstract

Posttraumatic headache (PTH) is one of several complications of traumatic brain injury (TBI). PTH usually resolving within the first 3 months, although a minority develop chronic headaches. PTH remains among the most controversial headache topics to its propensity for chronicity and often associated additional cognitive, behavioral, and somatic problems. Sufficient psychological or neurobiological markers for PTH do no exist, thus treatment can be very challenging and should always be multidisciplinary to make every reasonable effort in preventing the development of chronic pain. Posttraumatic seizure or epilepsy (PTE) is defined as a recurrent seizure disorder due to traumatic brain injury. PTE can be divided into three groups: immediate, early and late seizures. Immediate and early seizures are provoked seizures, whereas late seizure is unprovoked seizure. The effects of antiepileptic drugs (AED) in patients with TBI must be assessed separately in terms of prevention and control of provoked seizures and prevention of subsequent unprovoked seizures. Routine preventive AEDs are not indicated for patients with TBI and the effects are controversy.

Keyword

antiepileptic drugs; posttraumatic epilepsy; posttraumatic headache; traumatic brain injury

MeSH Terms

Anticonvulsants
Brain
Brain Injuries
Chronic Pain
Epilepsy
Headache
Headache Disorders
Humans
Post-Traumatic Headache
Seizures
Anticonvulsants

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