Active Trigger Points Are Associated With Anxiety and Widespread Pressure Pain Sensitivity in Women, but not Men, With Tension Type Headache.

BACKGROUND: A better understanding of gender differences can assist clinicians in further developing therapeutic programs in tension type headache (TTH). OBJECTIVE: To evaluate gender differences in the presence of trigger points (TrPs) in the head, neck, and shoulder muscles and their relationship with headache features, pressure pain sensitivity, and anxiety in people with TTH. METHODS: Two hundred and ten (59 men, 151 women) patients with TTH participated. TrPs were bilaterally explored in the temporalis, masseter, suboccipital, upper trapezius, splenius capitis, and sternocleidomastoid muscles. Headache features were collected using a 4-week headache diary. Trait and state anxiety levels were assessed using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) over the temporalis, C5/C6 joint, second metacarpal, and tibialis anterior were assessed. RESULTS: Women with TTH exhibited a significantly higher number of total (P = 0.027) and active (P = 0.030), but similar number of latent (P = 0.461), TrPs than men with TTH. Active TrPs in the temporalis, suboccipital, and splenius capitis muscles were the most prevalent in both men and women with TTH. The number of active TrPs was associated with anxiety levels (r = 0.217; P = 0.045) in women, but not in men (P = 0.453): the higher the number of active TrPs, the more the trait levels of anxiety. Women exhibited lower PPTs than men (all, P < 0.001). In men, the number of active, but not latent, TrPs was negatively associated with localized PPTs (all, P < 0.05), whereas in women, the number of active and latent TrPs was negatively associated with PPTs in all points (all, P < 0.01): the higher the number of TrPs, the lower the widespread PPTs. CONCLUSIONS: This study described gender differences in the presence of TrPs in TTH. Women with TTH showed lower PPTs than men. The association between TrPs, anxiety levels, and pressure pain hyperalgesia seems to be more pronounced in women than in men with TTH.

Brain Diffusion Abnormalities in Children with Tension-Type and Migraine-Type Headaches.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Tension-type and migraine-type headaches are the most common chronic paroxysmal disorders of childhood. The goal of this study was to compare regional cerebral volumes and diffusion in tension-type and migraine-type headaches against published controls. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients evaluated for tension-type or migraine-type headache without aura from May 2014 to July 2016 in a single center were retrospectively reviewed. Thirty-two patients with tension-type headache and 23 with migraine-type headache at an average of 4 months after diagnosis were enrolled. All patients underwent DWI at 3T before the start of pharmacotherapy. Using atlas-based DWI analysis, we determined regional volumetric and diffusion properties in the cerebral cortex, thalamus, caudate, putamen, globus pallidus, hippocampus, amygdala, nucleus accumbens, brain stem, and cerebral white matter. Multivariate analysis of covariance was used to test for differences between controls and patients with tension-type and migraine-type headaches. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in regional brain volumes between the groups. Patients with tension-type and migraine-type headaches showed significantly increased ADC in the hippocampus and brain stem compared with controls. Additionally, only patients with migraine-type headache showed significantly increased ADC in the thalamus and a trend toward increased ADC in the amygdala compared with controls. CONCLUSIONS: This study identifies early cerebral diffusion changes in patients with tension-type and migraine-type headaches compared with controls. The hypothesized mechanisms of nociception in migraine-type and tension-type headaches may explain the findings as a precursor to structural changes seen in adult patients with chronic headache.

Comparison of gray matter volume between migraine and "strict-criteria" tension-type headache.

BACKGROUND: Despite evidently distinct symptoms, tension-type headache (TTH) and migraine are highly comorbid and exhibit many similarities in clinical practice. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether both types of headaches are similar in brain morphology. METHODS: Consecutive patients with TTH and age- and sex-matched patients with migraine and healthy controls were enrolled for brain magnetic resonance imaging examination. Patients with TTH were excluded if they reported any headache features or associated symptoms of migraine. Changes in gray matter (GM) volume associated with headache diagnosis (TTH vs. migraine) and frequency (episodic vs. chronic) were examined using voxel-based morphometry. The correlation with headache profile and the discriminative ability between TTH and migraine were also investigated for these GM changes. RESULTS: In comparison with controls (n = 43), the patients with TTH (25 episodic and 24 chronic) exhibited a GM volume increase in the anterior cingulate cortex, supramarginal gyrus, temporal pole, lateral occipital cortex, and caudate. The patients with migraine (31 episodic and 25 chronic) conversely exhibited a GM volume decrease in the orbitofrontal cortex. These GM changes did not correlate with any headache profile. A voxel-wise 2 × 2 factorial analysis further revealed the substantial effects of headache types and frequency in the comparison of GM volume between TTH and migraine. Specifically, the migraine group (vs. TTH) had a GM decrease in the superior and middle frontal gyri, cerebellum, dorsal striatum, and precuneus. The chronic group (vs. episodic group) otherwise demonstrated a GM decrease in the bilateral insula and anterior cingulate cortex. In receiver operating characteristic analysis, the GM volumes of the left superior frontal gyrus and right cerebellum V combined had good discriminative ability for distinguishing TTH and migraine (area under the curve = 0.806). CONCLUSIONS: TTH and migraine are separate headache disorders with different characteristics in relation to GM changes. The major morphological difference between the two types of headaches is the relative GM decrease of the prefrontal and cerebellar regions in migraine, which may reflect a higher allostatic load associated with this disabling headache.

Comparison of monocyte gene expression among patients with neurocysticercosis-associated epilepsy, Idiopathic Epilepsy and idiopathic headaches in India.

BACKGROUND: Neurocysticercosis (NCC), a neglected tropical disease, inflicts substantial health and economic costs on people living in endemic areas such as India. Nevertheless, accurate diagnosis using brain imaging remains poorly accessible and too costly in endemic countries. The goal of this study was to test if blood monocyte gene expression could distinguish patients with NCC-associated epilepsy, from NCC-negative imaging lesion-free patients presenting with idiopathic epilepsy or idiopathic headaches. METHODS/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Patients aged 18 to 51 were recruited from the Department of Neurological Sciences, Christian Medical College and Hospital, Vellore, India, between January 2013 and October 2014. mRNA from CD14+ blood monocytes was isolated from 76 patients with NCC, 10 Recovered NCC (RNCC), 29 idiopathic epilepsy and 17 idiopathic headaches patients. A preliminary microarray analysis was performed on six NCC, six idiopathic epilepsy and four idiopathic headaches patients to identify genes differentially expressed in NCC-associated epilepsy compared with other groups. This analysis identified 1411 upregulated and 733 downregulated genes in patients with NCC compared to Idiopathic Epilepsy. Fifteen genes up-regulated in NCC patients compared with other groups were selected based on possible relevance to NCC, and analyzed by qPCR in all patients' samples. Differential gene expression among patients was assessed using linear regression models. qPCR analysis of 15 selected genes showed generally higher gene expression among NCC patients, followed by RNCC, idiopathic headaches and Idiopathic Epilepsy. Gene expression was also generally higher among NCC patients with single cyst granulomas, followed by mixed lesions and single calcifications. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Expression of certain genes in blood monocytes can distinguish patients with NCC-related epilepsy from patients with active Idiopathic Epilepsy and idiopathic headaches. These findings are significant because they may lead to the development of new tools to screen for and monitor NCC patients without brain imaging.

ATP-sensitive muscle afferents activate spinal trigeminal neurons with meningeal afferent input in rat - pathophysiological implications for tension-type headache.

BACKGROUND: Tension-type headache and other primary headaches may be triggered or aggravated by disorders of pericranial muscles, which is possibly due to convergent or collateral afferent input from meningeal and muscular receptive areas. In rodent models high extracellular concentrations of ATP caused muscle nociception and central sensitization of second order neurons. In a rat model of meningeal nociception we asked if spinal trigeminal activity induced by ATP can be modulated by local anaesthesia of distinct muscles. METHODS: Ongoing activity was recorded from spinal trigeminal neurons with afferent input from the cranial dura mater, the temporal muscle and neck muscles. The stable ATP analogue α,ß-methylene adenosine 5'-triphosphate (α,ß-meATP, 10 mM) was injected into the ipsilateral temporal muscle, 30 min later followed by injection of local anaesthetics (lidocaine, 2 %) into the ipsilateral neck muscles and/or the temporal muscle. RESULTS: Injection of α,ß-meATP into the temporal muscle caused progressive increase in ongoing activity of most of the spinal trigeminal neurons within 30 min. Injection of lidocaine into the neck muscles and/or the temporal muscle reduced this activation to previous levels within 10 min. CONCLUSIONS: Distinct spinal trigeminal neurons processing meningeal nociceptive information are under the control of convergent afferent input from several pericranial muscles. Blockade of at least one of these inputs can normalize central trigeminal activity. This may explain why therapeutic manipulations of head muscles can be beneficial in primary headaches.

The Role of the Trigemino Cervical Complex in Chronic Whiplash Associated Headache: A Cross Sectional Study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate signs of central sensitization in a cohort of patients with chronic whiplash associated headache (CWAH). BACKGROUND: Central sensitization is one of the mechanisms leading to chronicity of primary headache, and thus might contribute to CWAH. However, the pathophysiological mechanism of CWAH is poorly understood and whether it is simply an expression of the primary headache or has a distinct pathogenesis remains unclear. Thus, the factors involved in the genesis of CWAH require further investigation. METHODS: Twenty-two patients with CWAH (20 females, 2 males; age 25-50 years, mean age 36.3 years) and 25 asymptomatic participants (13 females, 12 males; age 18-50 years, mean age 35.6 years) rated glare and light-induced discomfort in response to light from an ophthalmoscope. Hyperalgesia evoked by a pressure algometer was assessed bilaterally on the forehead, temples, occipital base, and the middle phalanx of the third finger. The number, latency, area under the curve, and recovery cycle of nociceptive blink reflexes elicited by a supraorbital electrical stimulus were also recorded. RESULTS: Eight and 6 CWAH patients had migrainous and tension-type headache (TTH) profiles, respectively; the remainder had features attributable to both migraine and TTH. Patients in the whiplash group reported significantly greater light-induced pain than controls (8.48 ± .35 vs 6.66 ± .43 on a 0-10 scale; P = .001). The CWAH patients reported significantly lower pressure pain thresholds at all sites. For stimuli delivered at 20 second intervals, whiplash patients were more responsive than controls (4.8 ± .6 blinks vs 3.0 ± .6 blinks in a block of 10 stimuli; P = .036). While R2 latencies and the area under the curve for the 20 second interval trials were comparable in both groups, there was a significant reduction of the area under the curve from the first to the second of the 2-second interval trials only in controls (99 ± 8% of baseline in whiplash patients vs 68 ± 7% in controls; P = .009). The recovery cycle was comparable for both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our results corroborate previous findings of mechanical hypersensitivity and photophobia in CWAH patients. The neurophysiological data provide further evidence for hyperexcitability in central nociceptive pathways, and endorse the hypothesis that CWAH may be driven by central sensitization.

Tinnitus and Headache.

BACKGROUND: Tinnitus and headache are frequent disorders. Here, we aimed to investigate whether the occurrence of headache among tinnitus patients is purely coincidental or whether tinnitus and headache are pathophysiologically linked. We investigated a large sample of patients with tinnitus and headache to estimate prevalence rates of different headache forms, to determine the relationship between tinnitus laterality and headache laterality, and to explore the relationship between tinnitus and headache over time. METHOD: Patients who presented at a tertiary referral center because of tinnitus and reported comorbid headache were asked to complete validated questionnaires to determine the prevalence of migraine and tension-type headache and to assess tinnitus severity. In addition, several questions about the relationship between headache and tinnitus were asked. RESULTS: Datasets of 193 patients with tinnitus and headache were analysed. 44.6% suffered from migraine, 13% from tension-type headache, and 5.7% from both. Headache laterality was significantly related to tinnitus laterality and in the majority of patients fluctuations in symptom severity of tinnitus and headache were interrelated. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest a significant relationship between tinnitus and headache laterality and symptom interaction over time and argue against a purely coincidental cooccurrence of tinnitus and headache. Both disorders may be linked by common pathophysiological mechanisms.

Asociación de la frecuencia y duración, pero no la intensidad, de la cefalea con la hipersensibilidad mecánica y la salud en pacientes con cefalea de tensión / Association between the frequency and duration, but not the intensity, of headache with mechanical hypersensitivity and the health of patients with tension-type headache

Introducción. La asociación entre las variables clínicas de la cefalea y otras variables neurofisiológicas o de salud es controvertida. Objetivo. Determinar la asociación de la frecuencia, duración e intensidad del dolor con la sensibilidad mecánica craneocervical, considerando el efecto de otras variables de salud y físicas. Pacientes y métodos. Se incluyeron 72 pacientes con cefalea de tensión. Se mantuvo un diario mensual para determinar la frecuencia, duración e intensidad del dolor. Se calcularon los umbrales de dolor a la presión (UDP) y la sensibilidad a la palpación sobre la región craneocervical, calidad de vida (Short Form-36), discapacidad, depresión y movilidad cervical. Se introdujeron todas las variables en modelos de regresión logística jerárquica para determinar las interacciones. Resultados. Se encontraron correlaciones entre la frecuencia y duración de la cefalea, pero no la intensidad, con el resto de variables. El análisis de regresión mostró que la combinación del UDP sobre el temporal, dolor corporal, edad y rol físico explicaba el 22,3% de la varianza de la frecuencia, mientras que la combinación de salud general, UDP sobre el trapecio superior y frecuencia del dolor explicaba el 20% de la varianza de la duración (p < 0,001). Conclusiones. Este estudio ha encontrado que la frecuencia y la duración de la cefalea, pero no la intensidad, se encuentran asociadas con variables neurofisiológicas, como el UDP sobre el cuello/cabeza o la percepción de dolor generalizado en la cefalea tensional. Otras variables, como la edad, el rol físico y la salud general también mostraron una asociación con la frecuencia y la duración de la cefalea (AU)

Introduction. The association between headache clinical parameters and other health-related and neuro-physiological outcomes is controversial. Aim. To investigate the association between headache frequency, duration and intensity with cranio-cervical pressure sensitivity considering the interaction of health-related and physical outcomes. Patients and methods. Seventy-two individuals with tension type headache were included. A 1-month diary was used to assess headache frequency, duration and intensity. Pressure pain thresholds (PPT) and peri-cranial tenderness to palpation, health-related quality of life (Short Form-36), disability, depression, and cervical range of motion were the outcomes. All outcomes were introduced into hierarchic logistic regression models to assess potential associations. Results. Several associations between headache frequency and duration, but not intensity, with the remaining variables were found. Regression analysis showed that PPT over the temporalis muscle, bodily pain, age and physical role explained the 22.3% of the headache frequency, whereas general health, PPT over the upper trapezius and headache frequency explained 20% of headache duration (p < 0.001). Conclusions: This study found that headache frequency and duration, but not headache intensity, were associated with neurophysiological outcomes, e.g., cranio-cervical pressure sensitivity, and bodily pain in tension type headache. Other variables including age, physical role and general health were also associated with headache frequency and duration (AU)

Primary headache disorders at a tertiary health facility in Lagos, Nigeria: prevalence and consultation patterns.

BACKGROUND: Primary headaches are underdiagnosed and undertreated, with a significant impact on social activities and work. AIM: To determine the last-year prevalence and health care utilization pattern of primary headaches at a tertiary centre. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out amongst staff of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital in Lagos, Nigeria. 402 staff members were selected by simple random sampling and administered a detailed structured headache assessment questionnaire. Migraine and tension-type headache were diagnosed according to the criteria of the International Headache Society (2004). RESULTS: The participants comprised 168 males and 234 females. The mean age was 36.9 ± 7.9 years. The overall headache prevalence was 39.3% with female predominance (P < 0.0001). Tension-type headache was the most prevalent at 72.8% and migraine at 18.9%. Unclassifiable headache constituted 8.2%. Migraine headache showed female preponderance (P = 0.000). 80.4% of participants did not seek medical consultation compared with 19.6% who did (P = 0.000). Of the latter, 83.9% consulted the general practitioner (GP), whilst 16.1% consulted the neurologist. CONCLUSIONS: Primary headache prevalence is high in our population. It is not recognised as that requiring care by most of the staff of this tertiary health facility; thus education is required to increase health care utilization.

Signal hyperintensities on brain magnetic resonance imaging in patients with primary Sjögren syndrome and frequent episodic tension-type headache: relation to platelet serotonin level and disease activity.

OBJECTIVE: To examine differences in number and size of signal hyperintensities (SH) on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) between patients with primary Sjögren syndrome (pSS) and controls who all had frequent episodic tension-type headache (FETH), and to investigate their relation to platelet serotonin level (PSL), patient age, disease duration, and activity. METHODS: SH in 22 pSS patients with FETH were compared to 20 aged-matched controls with FETH, using the modified semiquantitative rating scale. Spectrofluorimetry was used for determination of PSL, and the European League Against Rheumatism SS Disease Activity Index (ESSDAI) for disease activity assessment. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences in the total number of SH were noted infratentorially (p = 0.025) and in the basal ganglia for lesions of diameter > 5 mm (p = 0.048). Significant correlations were found between disease duration and number of overall lesions > 5 mm (p = 0.04) and subcortical lesions of diameter 2-5 mm (p = 0.035). Number of periventricular SH inversely correlated to PSL (p = 0.019) and to patient age (p = 0.004), without association with markers of immunoinflammation and ESSDAI. CONCLUSION: Our study showed that SH on brain MRI are more common in specific regions of the brain in pSS patients with FETH than in controls with FETH, signifying a more widespread cerebral vasculopathy in SS patients with FETH. Periventricular SH seem to be associated to increased platelet serotonin release in pSS patients with FETH and correlated with disease duration, without correlation to the actual ESSDAI and markers of immunoinflammation, and might be linked with chronic immunoinflammation of low-grade intensity and vasculitis in pSS.

Intracranial extramedullary hematopoiesis in patients with thalassemia: a case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Extramedullary hematopoiesis (EH) is a compensatory phenomenon that results in the production of blood cell precursors outside the marrow in patients with chronic hemolytic anemia and ineffective erythropoiesis. EH usually involves the liver, spleen, and lymph nodes. It can also be found at paravertebral, intrathoracic, or pelvic locations. Intracranial EH is a rare entity and often asymptomatic but can sometimes lead to symptomatic tumor-like masses. Treatment options are controversial and include hypertransfusion, surgical excision, radiotherapy, and hydroxyurea (HU). STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Successful treatment of an intracranial EH mass with HU and blood transfusions in a beta-thalassemia major patient was discussed along with a review of the published literature on intracranial EH in thalassemia. RESULTS: In our patient, the extramedullary hematopoietic mass in the interhemispheric fissure showed a marked improvement after 6 months of HU and hypertransfusion therapy. In the English literature, there are a few cases with intracranial EH and thalassemia, which were treated with different treatment modalities, with different outcomes. CONCLUSION: There is no standard treatment approach in patients with symptomatic EH. HU with hypertransfusion regimen is a reasonable first-choice modality in treating intracranial EH masses.

The role of muscles in tension-type headache.

The tenderness of pericranial myofascial tissues and number of myofascial trigger points are considerably increased in patients with tension-type headache (TTH). Mechanisms responsible for the increased myofascial pain sensitivity have been studied extensively. Peripheral activation or sensitization of myofascial nociceptors could play a role in causing increased pain sensitivity, but firm evidence for a peripheral abnormality still is lacking. Peripheral mechanisms are most likely of major importance in episodic TTH. Sensitization of pain pathways in the central nervous system due to prolonged nociceptive stimuli from pericranial myofascial tissues seem to be responsible for the conversion of episodic to chronic TTH. Treatment directed toward muscular factors include electromyography biofeedback, which has a documented effect in patients with TTH, as well as physiotherapy and muscle relaxation therapy, which are most likely effective. Future studies should aim to identify the source of peripheral nociception.

Cerebrospinal fluid from patients with multiple system atrophy promotes in vitro α-synuclein fibril formation.

The aggregation of α-synuclein (αS) in the central nervous system (CNS) is the hallmark of multiple system atrophy (MSA) and Lewy body diseases including Parkinson's disease (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) (α-synucleinopathies). To test the hypothesis that patients with α-synucleinopathies have a CNS environment favorable for αS aggregation, we examined the influence of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from patients with MSA (n=20), DLB (n=8), and PD (n=10) on in vitro αS fibril (fαS) formation at pH 7.5 and 37°C using fluorescence spectroscopy with thioflavin S, compared with those with hereditary spinocerebellar ataxia (hSCA) (n=16), and tension-type headache (n=7). CSF from MSA patients (MSA-CSF) promoted fαS formation more strongly than PD-, hSCA-, or headache-CSF. By electron microscopic analyses, the width of fαS formed in MSA-CSF was significantly greater than others. MSA may have a CSF environment particularly favorable for fαS formation.

Small deep white matter lesions are associated with right-to-left shunts in migraineurs.

The right-to-left shunts (RLS) and white matter lesions (WMLs) are frequently observed in migraineurs and in patients with ischemic stroke. Previous studies have reported that the burden of WMLs did not increase with the intracardiac right-to-left shunt (RLS) in migraineurs. However, some types of WMLs are known to be associated with RLS in patients with stroke and dementia. The aim of the study was to demonstrate the difference in the size and location of WMLs, according to the existence of RLS in patients with headache. From the prospective headache registry, a total of 425 subjects (age, 30.8 ± 5.1 years; 303 women; 242 migraineurs; 183 patients with tension-type headache (TTH)) were retrospectively reviewed and evaluated for RLS and WMLs using M-mode power transcranial Doppler sonography (mTCD) and brain magnetic resonance imaging scans. We scored WMLs, according to the Rotterdam Scan Study, and assessed the association between RLS presence and the location and size of WMLs. The number of small deep WMLs (dWMLs) and the prevalence of RLS, defined as microembolic signals (MES) ≥ 11, were higher in patients with migraine (small dWMLs, 6.23 vs. 4.05; RLS, 36.8% vs. 10.9%), compared to patients with TTH. There was no significant difference in the sum of periventricular WML grades or the total volume of dWMLs between TTH and migraine patients. Among the migraineurs, the patients with RLS more frequently had small dWMLs, aura, and heart disease compared to those without RLS. In addition, RLS were also independent predictors for the presence of small dWMLs from the multivariate binary regression analysis (p < 0.01; OR = 3.24; 95%CI 1.56-6.72). Small dWMLs are associated with RLS in young migraineurs. These results imply that paradoxical embolism may cause the small WMLs in some migraineurs.

Restricted neck mobility in children with chronic tension type headache: a blinded, controlled study.

The main purpose of this study was to analyze the differences in neck mobility between children with chronic tension type headache (CTTH) and healthy children, and to determine the influence of cervical mobility on headache intensity, frequency and duration. Fifty children, 13 boys and 37 girls (mean age 8.5 ± 1.6 years) with CTTH associated to peri-cranial tenderness (IHS 2.3.1) and 50 age- and sex matched children without headache (13 boys, 37 girls, mean age 8.5 ± 1.8 years, P = 0.955) participated. Cervical range of motion (CROM) was objectively assessed with a cervical goniometer by an assessor blinded to the children's condition. Children completed a headache diary for 4 weeks to confirm the diagnosis. Children with CTTH showed decreased CROM as compared to children without headache for flexion (z = -6.170; P < 0.001), extension (z = -4.230; P < 0.001), right (z = -4.505; P < 0.001) and left (z = -4.768; P < 0.001) lateral-flexions, but not for rotation (right z = -0.802; P = 0.425; left z = -1.254; P = 0.213) and also for total range of motion for flexion-extension (z = -4.267; P < 0.001) and lateral-flexion (z = -4.801; P < 0.001), but not for rotation (z = -1.058; P = 0.293). Within CTTH children, CROM was not correlated with headache intensity, frequency or duration. Additionally, age (P > 0.125) or gender (P > 0.250) did not influence CROM in either children with CTTH or without headache. Current results support the hypothesis that the cervical spine should be explored in children with headache. Further research is also needed to clearly define the potential role of the cervical spine in the genesis or maintenance of CTTH.

Kimmerle's anomaly as a possible causative factor of chronic tension-type headaches and neurosensory hearing loss: case report and literature review.

Kimmerle's anomaly also known as ponticulus posticus is a common anatomical variation of the atlas, the first cervical vertebra. It is the product of the complete or incomplete ossification of the posterior atlanto-occipital membrane over the vertebral artery groove resulting in the formation of a foramen (arcuate foramen) containing the vertebral artery and the posterior branch of the C-1 spinal nerve. This variation has been associated with vertebro-basilar insufficiency symptoms, various types of headaches, and acute hearing loss. The aim of the present study is to substantiate whether Kimmerle's anomaly is the possible cause of chronic tension-type headaches and neurosensory-type hearing loss in a patient with a known history of headaches and accompanied unilateral hearing loss. The headaches demonstrated the characteristics of the chronic tension-type; the audiometric investigation concluded the hearing loss to be of the neurosensory type; whereas, the imaging examinations revealed the existence of a partial osseous bridge, that is an incomplete arcuate foramen (ponticulus posticus or Kimmerle's anomaly) on the upper surface of atlas. Both the clinical and the radiological findings of this case are indicative of a possible connection between Kimmerle's anomaly and the manifestation of chronic tension-type headaches and neurosensory-type hearing loss.

Generalized neck-shoulder hyperalgesia in chronic tension-type headache and unilateral migraine assessed by pressure pain sensitivity topographical maps of the trapezius muscle.

Spatial changes in pressure pain hypersensitivity are present throughout the cephalic region (temporalis muscle) in both chronic tension-type headache (CTTH) and unilateral migraine. The aim of this study was to assess pressure pain sensitivity topographical maps on the trapezius muscle in 20 patients with CTTH and 20 with unilateral migraine in comparison with 20 healthy controls in a blind design. For this purpose, a pressure algometer was used to assess pressure pain thresholds (PPT) over 11 points of the trapezius muscle: four points in the upper part of the muscle, two over the levator scapulae muscle, two in the middle part, and the remaining three points in the lower part of the muscle. Pressure pain sensitivity maps of both sides (dominant/non-dominant; symptomatic/non-symptomatic) were depicted for patients and controls. CTTH patients showed generalized lower PPT levels compared with both migraine patients (P = 0.03) and controls (P < 0.001). The migraine group had also lower PPT than healthy controls (P < 0.001). The most sensitive location for the assessment of PPT was the neck portion of the upper trapezius muscle in both patient groups and healthy controls (P < 0.001). PPT was negatively related to some clinical pain features in both CTTH and unilateral migraine patients (all P < 0.05). Side-to-side differences were found in strictly unilateral migraine, but not in those subjects with bilateral pain, i.e. CTTH. These data support the influence of muscle hyperalgesia in both CTTH and unilateral migraine patients and point towards a general pressure pain hyperalgesia of neck-shoulder muscles in headache patients, particularly in CTTH.

The use of tenoten (pediatric formulation) in the therapy of chronic tension-type headaches in children.

Tension-type headaches are the most common type of headaches in children. No effective treatment for this disease is developed yet. After treatment with tenoten, the number of days with headache in 9-17-years-old children decreased by 40.9%, the mean headache intensity score decreased to 1.