Widespread Pressure Pain Hypersensitivity Is Similar in Women With Frequent Episodic and Chronic Tension-Type Headache: A Blinded Case-Control Study.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate differences in widespread pressure pain hyperalgesia in the trigemino-cervical and extra-trigeminal (distant pain-free) regions in women with frequent episodic (FETTH) and chronic (CTTH) tension-type headache.

BACKGROUND

It seems that people with tension-type headache exhibit central sensitization. No study has investigated differences between FETTH and CTTH in terms of widespread pressure pain hypersensitivity.

METHODS

Forty-three women with FETTH, 42 with CTTH, and 45 women without headache diagnosis were recruited. Pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) were bilaterally assessed over trigeminal area (ie, temporalis muscle), extra-trigeminal (ie, C5/C6 zygapophyseal joint), and two distant points (ie, second metacarpal and tibialis anterior muscle) by a blinded assessor. Clinical features of the headache were collected with a 4-week headache diary. Anxiety and depression were assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).

RESULTS

The ANCOVA revealed that PPTs were significantly decreased bilaterally over trigeminal (mean differences ranging from 97.5 to 101.5 kPa), extra-trigeminal (from 94.3 to 114.5 kPa), and distant points (from 99.4 to 208.6 kPa) in both FETTH and CTTH groups compared with controls (all, P < .001). No differences between FETTH and CTTH were observed (all points, P > .217). Anxiety (all, P > .803) or depression (P > .206) did not influence pressure pain hyperalgesia. No associations between widespread pressure hypersensitivity and headache features were observed (all, P > .110).

CONCLUSIONS

Current results suggest the presence of similar local and widespread pressure hyperalgesia, not associated with anxiety or depression, in women with FETTH and CTTH supporting that localized and central manifestations are involved in both the episodic and chronic forms of tension-type headache.