Headache in elderly patients. How to recognize and manage benign types.

Headaches in elderly persons are usually benign. Nevertheless, the possibility of underlying organic disease increases with age. To facilitate diagnosis and determine suitable treatment, primary care physicians should become familiar with diagnostic criteria for common causes of headache in elderly persons. Thorough physical examination and history taking can help rule out many underlying diseases. Benign headaches can usually be managed successfully with available non-pharmacologic and/or pharmacologic interventions. When organic disease (eg, temporal arteritis, cerebrovascular disease, tumor) is suspected, referral to an appropriate specialist may be indicated.