Update on the pathophysiology and treatment of rhinogenic headache: focus on the ibuprofen/pseudoephedrine combination

Rhinogenic headache is frequently encountered in clinical practice. Treatment of this condition should be based on a proper evaluation of its underlying pathophysiology. Fixed-dose combinations of two or more active agents, and specifically the combination of ibuprofen plus pseudoephedrine, have been shown to be more efficacious than either monotherapy. At present, an ibuprofen/pseudoephedrine fixed-dose combination is available as an over-the-counter drug. This paper reviews in detail the pathophysiology of rhinogenic headache and discusses the rationale for treatment of this condition with a fixed-dose ibuprofen/pseudoephedrine combination.