Heroin-induced headache in female heroin addicts

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the manifestations and incidence of headaches caused by heroin in Chinese women. METHODS: This was a survey study conducted from 29 June to 3 July 2015 with women attending the Shanxi Drug Rehabilitation Centre for Women (China). All study subjects were newly admitted and had not begun their drug rehabilitation. Demographic characteristics, heroin usage and headache episodes within the previous 3 months were surveyed, especially the presence of a headache within 2 hours of heroin use. Details of the severity, location, premonitory symptoms and characteristics of headaches were recorded. RESULTS: Of the 90 heroin-dependent patients, 74 experienced headache attacks within 2 hours of heroin use, and the headaches subsided within 72 hours of discontinuation of heroin use. Most heroin-induced headaches were similar to migraines and manifested as pulsating pain in 54 patients (51/74, 68.9%); bilateral pain was reported by 46 patients (46/74, 62.2%). Approximately half of the patients with heroin-induced headaches also reported accompanying symptoms of nausea, vomiting, and light and sound sensitivity. CONCLUSIONS: Heroin-induced headache may eventually be listed as a new class of headache in the International Classification of Headache Disorders.