Classification of primary headaches

In 1988, the International Headache Society (IHS) classification committee published operational diagnostic criteria for the primary headaches and a broard range of other headache disorders. These criteria have been translated into more than ten languages, providing uniform terminology for clinical practice, multinational clinical trials, and biologic and epidemiologic research. The criteria have also been evaluated in a number of field studies intended to address their generalizability, exhaustiveness, reliability, and validity. In the present publication the IHS criteria for migraine and tension-type headache are presented.