Pressure pain thresholds and responses to painful mechanical stimuli were obtained from 20 subjects with episodic tension-type headaches (TTH). Tender points in the temporalis and trapezius muscles were studied, along with two nontender points, one in the temporalis and one on the Achilles tendon. Two examinations were performed, one during and one without a headache, and results were compared. No significant differences were found in either variable for any tested points. The data demonstrate that the sensitivity level of these points does not differ based on the presence or absence of TTH. This suggests that the muscle sensitivity in TTH is constant. The observation that the sensitivity levels of both tender and nontender points did not vary suggests that the underlying mechanism or effect of TTH is not restricted to tender muscles.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.