A Clinical Observation on Electrophysiology in Headache Patients With Myofascial Trigger Points

Nanjing Medical University

Status

Completed

Conditions

Myofascial Trigger Points

Treatments

Device: Electromyography

Study type

Observational

Funder types

Other

Identifiers

NCT03890393

2017-SR-037

Details and patient eligibility

About

Through an observational, cross-sectional study, muscle activity was compared among 21 subjects with episodic headache, 17 subjects with chronic headache and 17 age-matched healthy controls. Muscle activity was bilaterally tested with needle electromyography at rest status, targeting at myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) in the frontal, temporal, sternocleidomastoid (SCM), splenius capitis, splenius cervicis and trapezius of each subject. Headache characteristics (intensity, frequency and duration), McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) and Digital Span (DS) scales were secondary outcomes. The correlation between muscle activity and headache characteristics was also analyzed.

This study provides preliminary evidence of the relationship between muscle and the chronicity of headache.

Enrollment

55 patients

Sex

All

Ages

18 to 65 years old

Volunteers

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Have at least one onset of headache in the last week,
Aged between 18-65 years,
No special treatment or invasive test on pericranial muscles in the last month, and no painkillers or muscle relaxants in the last week.

Exclusion criteria

History of surgery, trauma, tumor and spinal disease affecting the head and neck,
Being unable to cooperate with inspection and questionnaires for any reason (severe systemic disease, bleeder, communication barriers and so on),
People with definite mental disorders such as anxiety and depression.