The first annual SUNCT and SUNA Awareness Day is today, October 30, 2017!
Short lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache attacks with conjunctival injection and tearing (SUNCT) is a trigeminal autonomic cephalgia (TAC) characterized by attacks of trigeminal pain, accompanied by red eye (conjunctival injection) and tearing (lacrimation.) The syndrome is predominant in males, with a mean age of onset around 50 years. The attacks are strictly unilateral, generally with the pain persistently confined to the ocular/periocular area. Generally, the pain is severe and neuralgic in character.
An irregular temporal pattern is the rule, with symptomatic periods alternating with remissions in an unpredictable fashion. The attack frequency varies from less than one attack daily to more than 60 attacks per hour. The attacks predominate during the daytime, nocturnal attacks being seldom reported.
Another TAC, short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache attacks with cranial autonomic symptoms (SUNA) should also be considered at the diagnostic stage. Like SUNCT, SUNA is a trigeminal autonomic cephalgia (TAC) characterized by attacks of trigeminal pain accompanied by cranial autonomic symptoms other than red eye and tearing.
| SUNCT Diagnostic criteria: |
| A At least 20 attacks fulfilling criteria B–E |
| B Attacks of unilateral, orbital, supraorbital or temporal stabbing or pulsating pain last 5–240 seconds |
| C Pain is accompanied by ipsilateral conjunctival injection and lacrimation |
| D Attacks occur with a frequency from three to 200 per day |
| E Not attributed to another disorder |
Table: J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2005;76:301-305 doi:10.1136/jnnp.2004.036012 http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.e2407
Raising awareness of this condition is an easy way to have a major impact. SUNCT and SUNA are extremely rare diagnoses, even within the facial pain community. You could share this post on social media today, and very easily reach someone who has SUNCT or SUNA and has never heard of it before.
You could change a life today,
and all you have to do is post
the link to this post on Facebook.
Video Sharing
There’s nothing quite like a short YouTube video to help spread knowledge of a condition. Feel free to use this one to educate your friends and family. YouTube videos can be shared online, in emails, and in text messages.
Profiles of Courage
If you haven’t gotten your profile picture overlay yet, go ahead and do that now. It’s a great way to spread awareness to the hundreds of people who see your smiling face on social media every day!
Community
Looking for support on your SUNCT or SUNA journey? Try these support groups on Facebook:
- SUNCT Sindrome Trigemino
- SUNCT/cluster/SUNA Headache Sufferer support
- SUNCT/SUNA Syndrome Support Group
- SUNCT Sufferers
- SUNCT (Céphalée névralgique unilatérale brève avec injection conjonctivale)
UNTIL NEXT TIME, WARRIORS!
GO FORTH TODAY, AND SHARE
SUNCT/SUNA AWARENESS EVERYWHERE!
TOGETHER, WE WILL BRING FACIAL PAIN
OUT OF OBSCURITY
AND INTO THE LIGHT!
