1. Referral criteria:

  • Urgent Referral: Acute headache with alarm symptoms such as:
    • Vomiting.
    • Neurological focus.
    • Progressive headache.
    • Sudden headache of maximum intensity from the beginning.
    • Affectation of the level of consciousness.
    • Fever or meningismus.
    • Bilateral papilledema.
  • “High resolution” referral:
    • Headache in patients with ventriculoperitoneal shunt.
    • Headache in children with diseases predisposing to the appearance of CNS tumors (tuberous sclerosis, etc.).
    • Post-lumbar puncture headache.
  • Preferential Referral:
    • Chronic daily headache of recent onset (>14 episodes/month for more than 3 months, without previous history of headache).
    • Headache due to abuse of analgesics.
    • Trigeminoautonomic headache.
    • Trigeminal neuralgia.
  • Ordinary Referral:
    • Migraine with aura.
    • Migraine without frequent episodic aura (>1 episode per week for more than 3 months).
    • Frequent episodic tension headache (>1 episode per week for more than 3 months).
    • Chronic migraine (>14 episodes/month for more than 3 months).
  • Referral NOT indicated:
    • Infrequent episodic migraine without aura (<1 episode per week).
    • Infrequent episodic tension headache (<1 episode per week).
    • Post-infectious headache.

2. Minimum data of the interconsultation:

  • Headache calendar for at least 3 months. It is a priority to know the frequency of the episodes in order to identify the reason for the consultation.
  • Reason for consultation (among those stipulated in the referral criteria).
  • Directed family history (particularly of migraine).
  • Personal background.
  • Personal history of paroxysmal disorders compatible with migraine equivalent.
  • Ophthalmological problems and review by ophthalmology.
  • Pharmacological treatment, especially the taking of analgesics and their frequency.
  • Clinical examination. Head circumference in children under 6 years of age. Neurological examination.
  • Complementary explorations carried out. Analysis with iron metabolism (not necessary if you have one in the last year).