Altered pain perception in children with chronic tension-type headache: is this a sign of central sensitisation?

AIM: The aim of this article is to investigate if children (7-17 years) with frequent episodic tension-type headache (FETTH) or chronic TTH (CTTH) have an altered pain perception compared to healthy controls.

METHODS

We applied a pressure of five increasing intensities to m. trapezius and m. temporalis with a Somedic Algometer II. Visual analogue scale-score was rated and area under the curve (AUC) calculated. An average AUC in each person was used as an outcome variable in further univariate multiple linear regression analysis because factor analysis showed that AUC represents only one dimension underlying both muscles.

RESULTS

Participants included 22 children with FETTH, 36 children with CTTH and 57 controls. The CTTH group had a significantly higher AUC compared to the control group ( P < 0.001). The FETTH group represented an intermediate state. AUC did not change with increasing age, headache years, headache intensity, headache frequency or sex.

CONCLUSION

Children with CTTH show significantly increased pain sensitivity in a range of pressures compared to the FETTH group and the controls. Since AUC in m. trapezius and m. temporalis represents only one general latent tenderness, it might indicate that the altered pain perception is mainly due to central sensitisation.