Carotidynia

Carotidynia is a syndrome characterized by unilateral (one-sided) soreness of the carotid artery, near the bifurcation. It was first described in 1927 by Temple Fay[1]. The most common cause of carotidynia is migraine, and then it is usually self-correcting. Common migraine treatments may help alleviate the carotidynia symptoms. Carotid arteritis is a much less common cause of carotidynia, but has much more serious consequences. It is a form of giant cell arteritis, which is a condition that usually affects arteries in the head. Due to this serious condition possibly causing carotidynia, and the possibility that neck pain is related to some other non-carotidynia and serious condition, the case should be investigated by a medical doctor.[2] Because carotidynia can be caused by numerous causes, Biousse and Bousser in 1994 recommended the term not be used in the medical literature.[3]

References

  1. ^ Hill and Hastings list this reference as: Fay, Temple (1927) "Atypical neuralgia." Arch Neurol Psychiatry.
  2. ^ Hill LM, Hastings G. (1994). "Carotidynia: a pain syndrome.". J Fam Pract 39 (1): 71–5. PMID 8027735. 
  3. ^ Biousse V, Bousser MG. (1994). "The myth of carotidynia.". Neurology 44 (6): 993–5. PMID 8208434. Available here

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