Widespread sensory hypersensitivity is not a feature of chronic headache in elders

To investigate if hypersensitivity is present in elders with pain. Chronic headache was used as a model of chronic pain and mechanical and thermal pain thresholds were measured.

Ninety-three people with headache and 44 control individuals participated in the study. Headache patients completed a headache questionnaire. Pressure pain thresholds were measured over the forehead, upper neck, and at a remote site (tibialis anterior). Heat and cold pain thresholds were measured over the upper neck.

In the headache group, 26 had headaches classifiable as migraine, 10 with tension-type, 24 with cervicogenic, and 33 headaches were unclassifiable. There were no significant differences between the headache groups and controls in pressure and cold pain thresholds (all P>0.05). Heat pain thresholds were significantly lower in the headache groups (all P<0.01) but there were no differences between headache types (all P>0.05). No strong relationships were found between any headache variables and pain thresholds.

Central hyperexcitability does not seem to be a feature of elders with headache. This may be as a consequence of age-related changes in the sensory system but could also be related to the nature of the stimulus provided. Further research in this area is required to better understand pain processing in elders.