Eur.J.The Journal of Headache and pain.Vol.23, N.° 1, (53-60). 2010

From the The Neurologic Group of Bucks / Montgomery County—Neurology, Doylestown, PA, USA (A.Ashkenazi); Washington University School of Medicine—Neurology, St. Louis, MO, USA (T. Schwedt).

Address all correspondence to A. Ashkenazi, The Neurologic Group of Bucks/Montgomery County, 800 West State Street, Suite 101, Doylestown, PA 18901, USA.

ABSTRACT–Background : The pain, which is involved in Cluster Headache (CH), is

excruciating and is probably one of the most painful conditions known to humans. In the early

70es it was found out that lithium could be used intreating this rare condition. Ekbom produced

his first report of using lithium successfully to treat five cases of CH and this was fol lowed later

by other studies, which showed the effectiveness of lithium in this condition.

Objective : In this journal we reviewed the evidence for using lithium in CH. We discuss some

issues including the duration, the dosage of lithium required and the short and long- term side

effects, which are likely to occur. We also included the mechanism of action of lithium in treating

this condition.

Methodology : We searched the Medline database from 1950 to date. We included all studies

done in English, which were related to the use of lithium in cluster headache. We excluded all

studies which were not in English and which included other types of headache.

Results and conclusions : We concluded that lithium is effective in both chronic and episodic

forms of cluster headache .

Lithium treatment in cluster headache, review of literature

Received 9 January 2009Revised 2 December 2009Accepted11December2009