Cephalalgia : an international journal of headache
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Short-term effects of greater occipital nerve blocks in chronic migraine: A double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial.
Background Greater occipital nerve (GON) blocks are widely used for the treatment of headaches, but quality evidence regarding their efficacy is scarce. Objective The objective of this article is to assess the short-term clinical efficacy of GON anaesthetic blocks in chronic migraine (CM) and to analyse their effect on pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) in different territories. Participants and methods The study was designed as a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial. ⋯ Conclusions GON anaesthetic blocks appear to be effective in the short term in CM, as measured by a reduction in the number of days with moderate-to-severe headache or any headache during the week following injection. GON block is followed by an increase in PPTs in the trigeminal area, suggesting an effect on central sensitisation at the trigeminal nucleus caudalis. This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02188394).
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Background Although probable migraine (PM) is common among headache sufferers, there is little knowledge of the prevalence and impacts of comorbid anxiety and depression in patients with PM. We assessed the prevalence and impact of anxiety and depression among PM sufferers in the general population. Methods We recruited Korean individuals aged 19-69 years via stratified random sampling and assessed headache type, anxiety, and depression among them using structured interviews. ⋯ Headache frequency, headache intensity, and impact of headache were significantly higher among PM and migraine patients with anxiety and depression than among those without. Conclusions The prevalence of anxiety and depression was lower among individuals with PM compared to those with migraine. However, they were still prevalent and associated with an exacerbation of symptoms among individuals with PM.