Cervicogenic dysfunction in muscle contraction headache and migraine: a descriptive study.

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Orthopedics
• Pain Management

Background:

• Headaches, including muscle contraction/tension-type headache (MCH) and common migraine without aura (CM), are prevalent conditions.
• The role of cervicogenic dysfunction in the manifestation of these headaches is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the prevalence and nature of cervicogenic dysfunction in subjects diagnosed with MCH and CM.
• To investigate the association between neck pain, cervical spine abnormalities, and headache types.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive survey was conducted on 47 subjects (aged 18-55) with MCH (n=19) or CM (n=28).
• Methods included standardized headache history, spinal X-rays (plain film and dynamic), motion palpation, and pressure algometry.
• No therapeutic interventions were administered; findings were part of the initial assessment.

Main Results:

• High prevalence of neck pain (90-100%) and upper back pain (41-27%) was observed in both headache groups.
• Significant abnormalities in cervical lordosis (77%) and segmental mobility (97%) were found.
• A high percentage of subjects presented with upper cervical joint dysfunction (84% via motion palpation) and tender points (85-92% via algometry).

Conclusions:

• Both MCH and CM subjects exhibit a high incidence of neck pain, upper cervical tender points, reduced cervical lordosis, and joint dysfunction.
• These findings support the hypothesis that the cervical spine plays a crucial role in adult benign headaches.
• Further case-control studies are recommended to confirm the increased prevalence of cervicogenic dysfunction in headache sufferers.