Peripheral postganglionic sympathicoplegia mimicking cluster headache attacks.

After dissection with complete occlusion of the internal carotid artery, a 58-year-old man started to suffer from intense cluster headache-like attacks. Magnetic imaging showed signs of nonsymptomatic cerebral emboli, which could be dated to have occurred in temporal relation to the start of the attacks, all on the right side. This case and two similar ones indicate that peripheral postganglionic sympathicoplegia can cause attacks with similar pain characteristics, accompanying symptoms, duration, and regularity as in cluster headache.