[Changes introduced into the recent International Classification of Headache Disorders: ICHD-III beta classification].

BACKGROUND

The International Headache Society (IHS) has published the third edition of the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-III beta), the most commonly used guide to diagnosing headaches in the world.

OBJECTIVE

To review the recent additions to the guide, to explain the new entities that appear in it and to compare the conditions that have had their criteria further clarified against the criteria in the previous edition.

METHODS

We have recorded a large number of clarifications in the criteria in practically all the headaches and neuralgias in the classification, but the conditions that have undergone the most significant clarifications are chronic migraine, primary headache associated with sexual activity, short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache attacks, new daily persistent headache, medication-overuse headache, syndrome of transient headache and neurological deficits with cerebrospinal fluid lymphocytosis. The most notable new entities that have been incorporated are external-compression headache, cold-stimulus headache, nummular headache, headache attributed to aeroplane travel and headache attributed to autonomic dysreflexia. Another point to be highlighted is the case of the new headaches (still not considered entities in their own right) included in the appendix, some of the most noteworthy being epicrania fugax, vestibular migraine and infantile colic.

CONCLUSIONS

The IHS recommends no longer using the previous classification and changing over to the new classification (ICHD-III beta) in healthcare, teaching and research, in addition to making this new guide as widely known as possible.