Increased pain sensitivity is not a risk factor but a consequence of frequent headache: A population-based follow-up study

TY - JOUR

T1 - Increased pain sensitivity is not a risk factor but a consequence of frequent headache: A population-based follow-up study

AU - Buchgreitz, L.

AU - Lyngberg, A.C.

AU - Bendtsen, L.

AU - Jensen, R.

N1 - Times Cited: 0ArticleEnglishBuchgreitz, LUniv Copenhagen, Glostrup Hosp, Dept Neurol, Danish Headache Ctr, Nordre Ringvej,Bldg 23, DK-2600 Glostrup, DenmarkCited References Count: 35336JGELSEVIER SCIENCE BVPO BOX 211, 1000 AE AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDSAMSTERDAM

PY - 2008

Y1 - 2008

N2 - Altered pain sensitivity is believed to play an important role for chronification of headache. It has however mainly been evaluated in highly selected patients from headache clinics and never in longitudinal studies. The present study is a 12-year follow-up of a population-based study of primary headache disorders and pain perception, combining a diagnostic headache interview with examination of muscle tenderness and measurement of pressure pain thresholds in 1000 Subjects drawn randomly from the general population in Denmark. The aim of the study was to explore the cause-effect relationship between the increased pain sensitivity and the development of headache. The pressure pain thresholds were normal at baseline but had decreased at follow-up in subjects who developed chronic tension-type headache over the 12-year period (p = 0.025). In subjects who developed frequent episodic tension-type headache the tenderness was normal at baseline but had increased at follow-up) < 0.01) while the pain thresholds were normal both at baseline and at follow-up. The findings demonstrate that increased pain sensitivity is a consequence of frequent tension-type headache, not a risk factor, and support that central sensitization plays an important role for the chronification of tensiontype headache. (C) 2007 International Association for the Study of Pain. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved Udgivelsesdato: 2008/7/31

AB - Altered pain sensitivity is believed to play an important role for chronification of headache. It has however mainly been evaluated in highly selected patients from headache clinics and never in longitudinal studies. The present study is a 12-year follow-up of a population-based study of primary headache disorders and pain perception, combining a diagnostic headache interview with examination of muscle tenderness and measurement of pressure pain thresholds in 1000 Subjects drawn randomly from the general population in Denmark. The aim of the study was to explore the cause-effect relationship between the increased pain sensitivity and the development of headache. The pressure pain thresholds were normal at baseline but had decreased at follow-up in subjects who developed chronic tension-type headache over the 12-year period (p = 0.025). In subjects who developed frequent episodic tension-type headache the tenderness was normal at baseline but had increased at follow-up) < 0.01) while the pain thresholds were normal both at baseline and at follow-up. The findings demonstrate that increased pain sensitivity is a consequence of frequent tension-type headache, not a risk factor, and support that central sensitization plays an important role for the chronification of tensiontype headache. (C) 2007 International Association for the Study of Pain. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved Udgivelsesdato: 2008/7/31

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0304-3959

VL - 137

SP - 623

EP - 630

JO - Pain

JF - Pain

IS - 3

ER -