Psychosomatic medicine
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Psychosomatic medicine · Nov 1999
Comparative StudyComparison of generalized and localized hyperalgesia in patients with recurrent headache and fibromyalgia.
Research suggests that dysregulated pain modulation may play an important role in recurrent headaches and fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). The primary objective of this study was to investigate algesic responses in localized cervical and pericranial regions (ie, headache-specific areas) and distal locations (ie, trochanter and gluteal) in patients with primary headaches (tension-type and migraine). The headache patients' algesic responses were compared with those of a sample of patients with musculoskeletal pain who report generalized hyperalgesia, or FMS. ⋯ These results suggest that extensive dysregulation in pain modulation is important for a substantial minority of recurrent headache patients, who seem to be quite similar to FMS patients. Differential treatment planning targeting generalized hyperalgesia may be useful in treating headache patients exhibiting generalized hyperalgesia more effectively.