Headache: pattern and features as experienced in a neurology clinic in Tanzania.

Patients with recurrent headaches accounted for 319 (20.6%) of all new referrals to the neurology clinic over a two-year period. Of these, 47 (34%) had migraine, 38 (27%) psychogenic disorders (non-migrainous) and 18 (13%) post traumatic headache. Others included 16 (11%) vascular-muscular contraction, 11 (8%) muscular contraction and 9 (7%) were miscellaneous. Recurrent headache was found commonly in young patients of both sexes. However, migraine was more common in females. Common migraine was about 4 times as frequent as classical migraine. Headache due to psychogenic disorders was part of a symptom complex of anxiety states in 17% and 8% neurotic depression. Over two thirds of patients experienced severe headaches. This was common in the younger age group. Whereas a half of the patients experienced warning symptoms, over two thirds had precipitating factors. About a third of patients with migraine and psychogenic disorders associated witchcraft with their headaches while a half of those with psychogenic disorders expressed fear of having a brain tumour.