Cluster Headache Management: Evaluating Diagnostic and Treatment Approaches Among Family and Emergency Medicine Physicians
<i>Background and Objectives</i>: Cluster headaches (CHs) are one of the most painful primary headaches and negatively affect the lives of patients due to misdiagnosis. Family medicine (FM) and emergency medicine (EM) physicians are one of the most important steps in making the correct d...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Medicina |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/61/3/437 |
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| author | Buse Rahime Hasirci Bayir Ezgi Nazli Can Ulutas |
| author_facet | Buse Rahime Hasirci Bayir Ezgi Nazli Can Ulutas |
| author_sort | Buse Rahime Hasirci Bayir |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Background and Objectives</i>: Cluster headaches (CHs) are one of the most painful primary headaches and negatively affect the lives of patients due to misdiagnosis. Family medicine (FM) and emergency medicine (EM) physicians are one of the most important steps in making the correct diagnosis and directing patients to headache specialists. In this study, the knowledge and management approaches of these two groups regarding CH were evaluated. <i>Materials and Methods</i>: Two online questionnaires were developed to gather the demographic data of physicians and to assess their knowledge about the characteristics, diagnosis, and treatment of CHs. <i>Results</i>: A total of 120 FM doctors and 98 EM doctors participated in this study. Answers about diagnostic criteria were similar in both groups. It was found that 70% of the participating physicians had concerns about misdiagnosing cluster headaches, and only 15% considered themselves sufficiently knowledgeable on the topic. Additionally, nearly half of the physicians were unaware that autonomic symptoms are mandatory for diagnosis and believed that NSAIDs are effective in treatment. <i>Conclusions</i>: In our study, for the first time, EM and FM physicians’ knowledge about the diagnosis and treatment of and professional competence in CHs was evaluated. It was found that the participants had knowledge about CHs but still considered themselves incompetent. For the correct and early diagnosis and for the proper management of CHs, EM and FM physicians, who can be called gatekeepers of CHs, need more medical education-based strategies. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b71c2728abe54ea4951cd718033162ae |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1010-660X 1648-9144 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Medicina |
| spelling | doaj-art-b71c2728abe54ea4951cd718033162ae2025-08-20T02:42:26ZengMDPI AGMedicina1010-660X1648-91442025-02-0161343710.3390/medicina61030437Cluster Headache Management: Evaluating Diagnostic and Treatment Approaches Among Family and Emergency Medicine PhysiciansBuse Rahime Hasirci Bayir0Ezgi Nazli1Can Ulutas2Haydarpaşa Numune Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi, 34668 İstanbul, TurkeyHaydarpaşa Numune Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi, 34668 İstanbul, TurkeyHaydarpaşa Numune Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi, 34668 İstanbul, Turkey<i>Background and Objectives</i>: Cluster headaches (CHs) are one of the most painful primary headaches and negatively affect the lives of patients due to misdiagnosis. Family medicine (FM) and emergency medicine (EM) physicians are one of the most important steps in making the correct diagnosis and directing patients to headache specialists. In this study, the knowledge and management approaches of these two groups regarding CH were evaluated. <i>Materials and Methods</i>: Two online questionnaires were developed to gather the demographic data of physicians and to assess their knowledge about the characteristics, diagnosis, and treatment of CHs. <i>Results</i>: A total of 120 FM doctors and 98 EM doctors participated in this study. Answers about diagnostic criteria were similar in both groups. It was found that 70% of the participating physicians had concerns about misdiagnosing cluster headaches, and only 15% considered themselves sufficiently knowledgeable on the topic. Additionally, nearly half of the physicians were unaware that autonomic symptoms are mandatory for diagnosis and believed that NSAIDs are effective in treatment. <i>Conclusions</i>: In our study, for the first time, EM and FM physicians’ knowledge about the diagnosis and treatment of and professional competence in CHs was evaluated. It was found that the participants had knowledge about CHs but still considered themselves incompetent. For the correct and early diagnosis and for the proper management of CHs, EM and FM physicians, who can be called gatekeepers of CHs, need more medical education-based strategies.https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/61/3/437cluster headachefamily medicineemergency medicinemisdiagnosisknowledge |
| spellingShingle | Buse Rahime Hasirci Bayir Ezgi Nazli Can Ulutas Cluster Headache Management: Evaluating Diagnostic and Treatment Approaches Among Family and Emergency Medicine Physicians Medicina cluster headache family medicine emergency medicine misdiagnosis knowledge |
| title | Cluster Headache Management: Evaluating Diagnostic and Treatment Approaches Among Family and Emergency Medicine Physicians |
| title_full | Cluster Headache Management: Evaluating Diagnostic and Treatment Approaches Among Family and Emergency Medicine Physicians |
| title_fullStr | Cluster Headache Management: Evaluating Diagnostic and Treatment Approaches Among Family and Emergency Medicine Physicians |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cluster Headache Management: Evaluating Diagnostic and Treatment Approaches Among Family and Emergency Medicine Physicians |
| title_short | Cluster Headache Management: Evaluating Diagnostic and Treatment Approaches Among Family and Emergency Medicine Physicians |
| title_sort | cluster headache management evaluating diagnostic and treatment approaches among family and emergency medicine physicians |
| topic | cluster headache family medicine emergency medicine misdiagnosis knowledge |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/61/3/437 |
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