Localized Pain Hypersensitivity in Older Women with Cervicogenic Headache: A Quantitative Sensory Testing Study.

To investigate pain sensitivity by using quantitative sensory testing in older women with and without cervicogenic headache.

A total of 18 older women (mean age ± standard deviation [SD] 64.28 ± 3.21 years) with cervicogenic headache and 17 healthy controls (65.18 ± 3.89 years) participated in the study. Pain thresholds (pressure, heat, and cold) and suprathreshold heat pain ratings (at 45° C, 47°C, and 49°C) were measured over the temporalis muscle, upper cervical spine, and tibialis anterior muscle. Analysis of variance was used to determine differences in pain outcomes between groups.

Compared to the control group, cold pain threshold in the cervicogenic headache patients was significantly decreased in the upper cervical region (P = .04) but not over the temporalis and tibialis anterior muscles (P > .05). There were no significant between-group differences in pressure pain threshold, heat pain threshold, or suprathreshold heat pain ratings at any sites (P > .05).

Older women with cervicogenic headache have localized pain sensitivity to cold stimuli, suggesting peripheral mechanisms underlie the hyperalgesia.