Author(s): Ilona Gracie De Souza and Candida Fernandes

Abstract:
Background: Cervicogenic headache (CeH), predominantly termed as a secondary headache, as it leads to referred pain patterns from cervical spine and its muscles as well as cervical dysfunction. The presence of myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) in head and neck muscles have enormous potential to precipitate referred pain patterns. Thus playing an important etiologic role. The purpose of this study was to find out the association between myofascial trigger points in sternocleidomastoid (SCM), Masseter, Temporalis, Trapezius and Sub-occipital muscle (recti capitis posteriories major and minor, oblique inferior and superior) in subjects with cervicogenic headache.
Method: 135 subjects were screened out of which sixty subjects were included based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. All the subjects were assessed for the presence of sternocleidomastoid (SCM), masseter, temporalis, trapezius and sub-occipital muscle (recti capitis posteriories major and minor, oblique inferior and superior) trigger point.
Results: Study showed a good association between visual analogue scale (VAS) and trigger points in trapezius muscles (phi = 0.43; p = 0.009); Good to moderate association between type of the headache and trigger points in trapezius muscle (phi = 0.599; p = 0.000) and good association between type of the headache and trigger points in sub-occipitals. (phi = 0.365: p = 0.046). However, the study showed a good significance between dominance and SCM trigger points (phi = 0.357; p =0.054).

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