Cluster-like signs and symptoms respond to myofascial/craniomandibular treatment: a report of two cases

Headache impact in patients with orofacial pain

BACKGROUND

The authors conducted a cross-sectional survey to assess headache disability in patients with orofacial pain.

METHODS

The authors administered a Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) questionnaire to 337 university-based clinic patients with OFP and 367 general dental (GD) patients, who served as controls. They made primary and secondary diagnoses in patients with OFP according to standard diagnostic criteria. The authors classified the patients into three major categories: primary headache (PH), musculoskeletal disorders (MS) and neuropathic pain (NP). They categorized the MIDAS score into four severity grades (I, the lowest, through IV, the highest). The authors analyzed the data using chi(2), t test, one-way analysis of variance and logistic regression for calculated odds ratios.

RESULTS

Patients with OFP had a greater prevalence of headache than did patients in the GD group (72.7 percent versus 31.9 percent, respectively; P < .001), with a higher total MIDAS score, number of headache days in the previous three months and headache severity (P < .001). Within the OFP group, the diagnostic prevalence of PH, MS and NP was 7.1 percent, 79.8 percent and 13.1 percent, respectively (P < .001). The authors categorized 56 percent of patients with OFP and headache into the high-impact headache group (MIDAS grades III and IV; P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with OFP had a higher prevalence of headache with greater disability impact than did control subjects. The degree of disability was related strongly to the MS diagnosis.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

The coexistence of PH and MS disorders can lead to higher headache disability. Clinicians need to treat both disorders concomitantly, which will result in improved treatment outcomes.

Physical therapy in the treatment of chronic headache

Careful evaluation of the chronic headache patient can reveal the presence or absence of musculoskeletal factors to be causative or contributory to the headache condition. This article presents a review of the literature surrounding physical findings in patients with cervicogenic and musculoskeletal sources of pain and specific treatment with physical therapy. Included in the discussion is the identification of muscular and joint involvement in a given headache, the relevance of postural, range of motion, and strength deficits, and appropriate individualized treatment strategies with a review of relevant outcome studies. Possible mechanisms for treatment effects also are considered.