PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Mavropoulos, Christos
TI  - #36498 Four specific blocks for headache relief: investigating potential shared mechanisms
AID  - 10.1136/rapm-2023-ESRA.383
DP  - 2023 Sep 01
TA  - Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine
PG  - A209--A209
VI  - 48
IP  - Suppl 1
4099  - http://rapm.bmj.com/content/48/Suppl_1/A209.1.short
4100  - http://rapm.bmj.com/content/48/Suppl_1/A209.1.full
SO  - Reg Anesth Pain Med2023 Sep 01; 48
AB  - Please confirm that an ethics committee approval has been applied for or granted: Not relevant (see information at the bottom of this page)Background and Aims The impact of four distinct blocks, namely erector spine plane block , stellate ganglion block, sphenopalatine ganglion block and greater occipital nerve block, on headache relief as a symptomatic manifestation has been observed. Existing literature has documented a reduction in the intensity, duration, and frequency of pain, along with enhanced patient satisfaction, in primary headaches. As a result, the possibility of a shared mechanism of action warrants investigationMethods A comprehensive search of the PubMed electronic database was conducted to identify relevant case reports, retrospective studies and case series encompassing the four blocks and diverse headache conditions. The utilized keywords included sphenopalatine ganglion block, greater occipital nerve block, erector spinae plane block, stellate ganglion block, post-dural puncture headache, tension headache, migraine, and cluster headacheResults The findings indicate that all four blocks have demonstrated effective alleviation of headache symptoms in a majority of primary and secondary headache cases.Conclusions Proposed mechanisms encompass interactions with the trigemino-cervical complex, modulation of cerebral circulation and autonomic outflow. Further exploration of the common pathophysiological mechanisms underlying headaches and the identification of suitable therapeutic targets should be pursued