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Published on: June 2, 2014
Cervical musculoskeletal impairments and pain sensitivity in migraine patients
Stefano Di Antonio1, Lars Arendt-Nielsen2, Matteo Castaldo3
1Department of Health Science and Technology, Center for Pain and Neuroplasticity (CNAP), SMI, School of Medicine, Aalborg University, 9220, Aalborg, Denmark; Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics and Maternal Child Health, University of Genoa, 16132, Genoa, Italy.
Introduction:
Currently, examination of migraine patients relies on a clinical interview investigating symptoms characteristics. Despite this, to help identify distinct migraine subtypes and allow a personalized treatment approach, biomarkers to profile distinct migraine subtypes should be utilized in clinical and research settings. Therefore, there is a need to include physical and psychophysical examinations aimed at assessing migraine features quantitatively.
Purpose:
This paper aimed to discuss if increased pressure pain sensitivity and impaired cervical musculoskeletal function could be considered 1) as quantitative features of migraine and 2) if they could be used as biomarkers to profile migraine patients in distinct subtypes.
Implication:
Increased pain sensitivity and cervical musculoskeletal impairments have been suggested as quantitative biomarkers to phenotype and subgroup migraine patients in clinical and research settings. This could provide the first step for a mechanistically-driven and personalized treatment approach according to migraine phenotypes.

