Myofascial Trigger Points and Migraine-related Disability in Women With Episodic and Chronic Migraine

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the differences in the presence of head and neck-shoulder trigger points (TrPs) between women with episodic or chronic migraine and their association with migraine-related disability. Materials and Methods: One hundred forty-three women, aged 18 to 60 years, with migraine were recruited to participate in this study. Migraine-related disability was evaluated with the Migraine Disability Assessment Questionnaire. TrPs were explored bilaterally within the masseter, temporalis, suboccipital, sternocleidomastoid, upper trapezius, and splenius capitis muscles. Results: Ninety-eight women exhibited episodic migraine, whereas 45 had chronic migraine. Women with chronic migraine reported a higher related disability than those with episodic migraine (P = 0.045). Women with episodic migraine had a similar number of TrPs (total number: 4.3 +/- 3.3; active TrPs: 3.0 +/- 2.9; and latent TrPs: 1.3 +/- 2.1) to those with chronic migraine (total number: 4.8 +/- 3.2; active TrPs: 3.4 +/- 2.9; and latent TrPs: 1.4 +/- (1).9). No linear association was observed between the number of TrPs and migraine-related disability in women with episodic or chronic migraine. Conclusions: Women with episodic and chronic migraine had a similar number of TrPs. TrPs may be considered a trigger factor that can facilitate the onset of migraine or also can potentially be a promoting factor for pain once the migraine attack has started and hence may contribute to related disability. Nevertheless, we observed that the number of TrPs in the head and neck-shoulder muscles in an interictal state was not associated with the degree of migraine-related disability, suggesting a multifactorial nature of self-perceived disability in this population.