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TACs

Comprehensive Headache Center & Multiple Sclerosis Specialists located in Spokane Valley, WA

TACs

TACs services offered in Spokane Valley, WA

Trigeminal autonomic cephalgias (TACs) are rare types of headaches that cause head pain on one side of the head along with autonomic symptoms like eye tearing and facial sweating. At Valley Neurology in Spokane, Washington, Yashma Patel, MD, and Wade Steeves, MD, are the experts at diagnosing and treating all types of headaches, including hard-to-diagnose conditions like TACs. To find out what’s causing your head pain, call the office or schedule an appointment online today.

TACs Q&A

What are trigeminal autonomic cephalgias (TACs)?

TACs are pain conditions that cause head or facial pain and autonomic nerve symptoms like eye tearing, runny nose, or facial sweating. TACs are debilitating, rare, and difficult to diagnose.

 

If you have severe head pain that affects one side of the head and know it’s more than a migraine, schedule an appointment with the headache specialists at Valley Neurology.

What are the types of TACs?

There are five types of TACs. The attacks’ length, frequency, and severity determine the types and treatment. Types of TACs include:

Cluster headaches

Cluster headaches cause severe pain that lasts minutes to hours. This type of TAC causes pain that lasts the longest.

Paroxysmal hemicrania

Paroxysmal hemicrania causes pain that lasts two to 30 minutes and occurs up to 40 times a day.

Short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache attacks

Short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache attacks last only seconds or minutes but may occur 200 times over 24 hours.

Hemicrania continua

Hemicrania continua causes a constant, dull, achy sensation and sharp jolts of pain that last minutes or hours. 

Probable trigeminal autonomic cephalalgia

If you have one-sided head pain that doesn’t fit into other types of TACs, then you may have probable trigeminal autonomic cephalgia. 

What can I expect during a TACs evaluation?

You can expect a thorough evaluation when you visit Valley Neurology for a TACs consultation. The highly skilled neurologists understand the effects these types of headaches have on your quality of life and how getting the proper diagnosis is essential for treatment.

 

Your provider asks detailed questions about your symptoms and may request you keep a headache journal to track your pain and look for possible triggers. They review your medical history and perform a physical and neurological exam.

 

They also request you undergo imaging to confirm or rule out the cause of your head pain. 

What are the treatments for TACs?

No single treatment works for all, and the specifics of your TACs treatment plan depend on the type. Treatment may include medications to reduce the duration and pain during an attack and medication to prevent the onset of an attack. 

 

Finding the right combination of treatments to manage your pain may take some time. Your provider at Valley Neurology works closely with you, developing a plan that reduces the severity and frequency of your attacks.

 

To find out more about TACs, call Valley Neurology or schedule an appointment online today.