Common Migraine Pain Condition Also Prevalent in Cluster Headache
A pain condition common in people with
migraines also has a high prevalence in patients with cluster headache,
according to a study conducted by researchers at the Jefferson Headache Center
at Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience.
Approximately half of a group of patients
with cluster headaches experienced cutaneous allodynia, a condition that causes
patients to have pain as a response to normally inconspicuous sensations,
according to Michael Marmura, M.D., assistant professor of Neurology at
Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University.
The study, which was published in the
Journal of Headache and Pain, included 41 patients with either chronic or
episodic cluster headaches. The researchers tested for allodynia by brushing a
gauze pad over the forehead, neck and forearms. Patients then reported if the
gauze was painful or unpleasant, or not.
Twenty of the patients experienced
allodynia, with the most common site of pain being the forehead. There were no
significant differences between patients who experienced allodynia and patients
who did not. The majority of patients were using preventive medications, which
is a limitation of the study.
According to Dr. Marmura, allodynia has
typically been described in migraines, but this is the largest study to date
showing that allodynia occurs in cluster headache.
“It was surprising to find that allodynia
was so common in patients with cluster headaches,” Dr. Marmura said. “This could
have important treatment implications, and suggests that there may be overlap in
mechanisms for pain between migraines and cluster headaches.”
Media Only Contact:
Emily Shafer
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
Phone: (215) 955-6300
Published: 5/28/2009