Association Between Sternocleidomastoid and Upper Trapezius Muscle Trigger Points and Headaches: A Cross-Sectional...

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Musculoskeletal Medicine
• Pain Management

Background:

• Headaches are a common ailment with various potential causes.
• Trigger points (TrPs) in muscles, particularly those in the neck and shoulders, are increasingly recognized as a contributing factor to pain.
• The sternocleidomastoid (SCM) and upper trapezius (UT) muscles are frequently implicated in head and neck pain syndromes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between the presence of trigger points (TrPs) in the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) and upper trapezius (UT) muscles and the occurrence of primary headaches.
• To differentiate the strength of association between SCM TrPs and UT TrPs with headaches.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 60 participants, categorized into primary headache and non-headache groups using the Headache Impact Test.
• Palpation of bilateral SCM and UT muscles to identify the presence and location of TrPs.
• Statistical analysis, including chi-squared tests and phi coefficient, to determine the association between TrPs and headaches.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant association was found between TrPs in the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle and headaches (P < .010 for right SCM, P < .004 for left SCM).
• TrPs in the upper trapezius (UT) muscle did not demonstrate a strong association with headaches (P < .091 for right UT, P < .063 for left UT).

Conclusions:

• Sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle trigger points exhibit a strong association with symptomatic headaches.
• Upper trapezius (UT) muscle trigger points show a weaker association with symptomatic headaches.
• Findings suggest SCM TrPs may be a more significant factor in primary headache development than UT TrPs.