| Barré–Liéou syndrome | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Posterior cervical sympathetic syndrome |
Barré–Liéou syndrome is a traditional medical diagnosis that is not utilized frequently in modern medicine. It is a complex combination of symptoms, amounting to a headache syndrome, that was originally hypothesized to be due to cervical spondylosis. Damage to the posterior cervical sympathetic chain due to the degeneration of the cervical vertebra was theorized to play a role in this syndrome by the prolapsing of disc in the mid-cervical spine. However, the medical theory as was originally postulated was found to contain inconsistencies.
Barré–Liéou syndrome is regarded by many current medical researchers as synonymous with cervicogenic headache. Thus, the original works of Barré and Liéou were foundational in identifying a crucial feature that distinguishes cervicogenic headache from other headache syndromes—the concept that the pain originates from a structural abnormality in the cervical spine.
Symptoms
Patients with Barré–Liéou syndrome may have complaints of:
Diagnosis
One test to check for Barré–Liéou syndrome is through the use of thermography. An MRI study may also be conducted to rule out any structural problems in the neck which may be the cause of this syndrome. Some of the treatments for this disorder consist of sympathetic nerve blocks, physical therapy, neck brace and traction.
History
The syndrome was first described in 1925 by French neurologist Jean Alexandre Barré. Chinese physician Yong-Cheon Lieou also independently described the syndrome in 1928.
References
- ^ Bogduk, N. (2009). "Cervicogenic headache: an assessment of the evidence on clinical diagnosis, invasive tests, and treatment". The Lancet Neurology. 8 (10): 959–968. doi:10.1016/s1474-4422(09)70209-1. PMID 19747657. S2CID 206158919.
- ^ Ono, Keir?; Dvo? k, Jir¡ (1998). Cervical Spondylosis and Similar Disorders. World Scientific. p. 306. ISBN 9789810227449. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
- Marcus, Alon (1998). Musculoskeletal Disorders: Healing Methods from Chinese Medicine, Orthopaedic Medicine and Osteopathy. North Atlantic Books. p. 358. ISBN 9781556432828. Retrieved 9 February 2018.
- Martelletti, P. (2004). "Cervicogenic headache: practical approaches to therapy". CNS Drugs. 18 (12): 793–805. doi:10.2165/00023210-200418120-00004. PMID 15377169. S2CID 25838309.
- ^ Schwartz, Robert G. (2006). Resolving Complex Pain. Piedmontpmr.com. pp. 45–46. ISBN 9781430303923. Retrieved 9 February 2018.