“Laughing 'Til it Hurts”: An Unusual Case Report of Mirth and Migraine

Laugh‐Induced Headache: Clinical Features and Literature Review

“…Nevertheless, the suggestive theory of transient intracranial pressure change associated with Valsalva maneuvers cannot explain all aspects of LH. In reports by Levin et al and Shatti et al, patients suffered with headache mainly after mirthful laughing. This is not a unique instance about headache in connection with emotional change.…”

“…Further, Shatti et al reported a patient with a migraine‐like headache precipitated exclusively by laughter, while nonspontaneous laugh did not induce headache. With headache characteristics that differed from those of other cases, each attack of Shatti's patient lasted for most of the day and had accompanying symptoms, including kaleidoscopic visual disturbance, photophobia, and nausea.…”

“…The following information was abstracted from each case: (1) sex, (2) age at onset and age at report, (3) headache history, (4) intensity (by a verbal rating scale or visual analog scale) and quality of headache, (5) headache location, (6) triggers of headache, (7) mode of onset, (8) duration of each episode, (9) accompanying symptoms, (10) imaging features of brain, (11) treatment, and (12) other associated history.…”