• María Palacios-Ceña, Gabriela N Ferracini, Lidiane L Florencio, Marina Ruíz, Ángel L Guerrero, Lars Arendt-Nielsen, and César Fernández-de-Las-Peñas.
• Department of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcón, Spain.
• Pain Med. 2017 Dec 1; 18 (12): 2485-2491.

ObjectivePrevious studies suggest that trigger points (TrPs) contribute to migraine pain, but no data is available on the effects of TrPs on pressure pain sensitivity. Our objective was to investigate the association between the number of TrPs and widespread pressure hypersensitivity in women with episodic migraines.MethodsNinety-five women with episodic migraines participated. Clinical features of migraines, that is, intensity, duration, frequency, and onset, were collected. Active and latent TrPs were bilaterally explored in the temporalis, masseter, suboccipital, sternocleidomastoid, upper trapezius, and splenius capitis musculature. Pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) were assessed over the trigeminal area (i.e., temporalis muscle), extratrigeminal (i.e., C5/C6 zygapophyseal joint), and a distant pain-free point (i.e., tibialis anterior muscle).ResultsActive TrPs in the temporalis and upper trapezius muscles were the most prevalent. The number of active but not latent TrPs was significantly and negatively associated with PPTs: the higher the number of active TrPs, the lower the widespread PPT and the more generalized sensitization.ConclusionsThis study found that the number of active but not latent TrPs in head and neck and shoulder muscles was associated with widespread pressure hypersensitivity in women with episodic migraines, suggesting a potential contribution of active TrPs as contributors for sensitization processes in migraines.© 2017 American Academy of Pain Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

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