New-onset headache in an elderly man with uremia that improved only after correction of hyperphosphatemia ("uremic headache"): a case report

INTRODUCTION: New-onset headaches in the elderly are usually secondary and rarely primary. We present the case of an elderly man with recent-onset headache due to uremic hyperphosphatemia and hypocalcemia. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of its kind in the literature. CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a 70-year-old Indian man with chronic kidney disease whose new-onset headache improved only when his hyperphosphatemia and hypocalcemia were corrected. He had diffuse, dense calcification of tentorium cerebelli and falx due to hyperphosphatemia. CONCLUSIONS: This case report reinforces the importance of identifying the cause of a new-onset headache, particularly in the elderly, and treating it before blaming a tension headache or primary headache as the cause.