Pressure Pain Threshold in the Craniocervical Muscles of Women with Episodic and Chronic Migraine: a Controlled Study

Objective: To estimate the pressure pain threshold (PPT) of the craniocervical muscles in women with episodic migraine (EM) n=15 and chronic migraine (CM) n=14, and in healthy volunteers (C) n=15.

Method: A blinded examiner obtained the PPT bilaterally, by pressure algometry, for the following muscles: frontalis, temporalis, masseter, trapezius and sternocleidomastoid. ANOVA (p<0.05) was used for statistical purposes.

Results: Contrasted to controls, individuals with EM had significantly decreased PPT values for frontal muscle (EM: 2.01±0.67 vs. C: 2.85±0.71), posterior temporalis bilaterally (right and left, respectively) (EM: 2.72±0.89 vs. C: 3.36±0.72 and EM: 2.60±1.00 vs. C: 3.35±0.85), upper trapezius bilaterally (EM: 2.69±1.00 vs. C: 3.49±0.83 and EM: 2.54±0.93 vs. C: 3.32±0.97) and women with CM: on frontal muscle bilaterally (CM: 2.16±0.52 vs. C: 2.79±0.71 and CM: 2.01±0.67 vs. C: 2.85±0.71) and upper trapezius (CM: 2.66±0.84 vs. C: 3.32±0.97), however, it was not verified differences between PPT values between EM and CM groups.

Conclusion: PPT is decreased in women with migraine relative to controls. Future studies should explore this parameter as a biological marker of the disease and a predictor of treatment.