Migraine Headache and Cervicogenic Headache
October 15, 2009 by dean · Leave a Comment
The authors of this study have previously shown :
that neck pain is very common in migraine and is more often present during migraine than nausea
the presence of neck pain at the time of migraine treatment significantly decreases the chances of becoming pain-free within 2 hours
the presence of neck pain is likely to increase migraine-related disability irrespective of headache frequency and severity.
In the this study 127 migraine sufferers recorded 762 migraines and it was found that those with neck pain were less likely to achieve a pain free state and tended to have poorer outcomes than those with headache only i.e. without neck pain.
The authors considered that the presence of neck pain on the day before the migraine is associated with poorer treatment response; that neck pain before migraine is a better predictor of a poor treatment outcome than is headache only …. of course it is if the neck is not treated!
Clearly the reason for sensitisation can be abnormal information from neck disorders and if this is not addressed then treatment outcomes will be less than satisfactory.
Cheers
Dean
(Calhoun AH, Ford S. Headache or neck pain the day before: impact on migraine treatment outcome Cephalalgia 2009;29(Suppl. 1):1–166)
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