Musculoskeletal dysfunction of the neck in migraine and tension headache

In this prospective controlled study, thirty-seven migraine and/or tension headache patients and thirty-seven age and sex matched controls were examined for evidence of musculoskeletal dysfunction in the neck. The examination consisted of clinical range of motion testing of neck rotation, sidebending, flexion and extension while in the sitting position. The headache group had more abnormal physical findings than the control group. Although the difference for each particular motion test, taken by itself, was not statistically significant, two or more abnormalities in combination was found to reach a .05 confidence level of significance. It is proposed therefore that musculoskeletal dysfunction of the neck is a contributing factor to the etiology of migraine and tension headache.