Premium
Hypertension‐associated hypalgesia: a clue to the comorbidity of headache and other pain disorders
Author(s) -
Stovner L. J.,
Hagen K.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
acta neurologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.967
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1600-0404
pISSN - 0001-6314
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0404.2009.01215.x
Subject(s) - medicine , comorbidity , headaches , norwegian , chronic pain , epidemiology , population , blood pressure , physical therapy , whiplash , physical medicine and rehabilitation , psychiatry , poison control , medical emergency , linguistics , philosophy , environmental health
Background – Primary headaches and chronic musculoskeletal pain are prevalent disorders with incompletely known causes. Aims – To review the data from the HUNT studies on the comorbidity of these pain disorders, and their relation to blood pressure levels Materials & Methods – Cross‐sectional and prospective data from more than 50 000 persons participating in the HUNT studies, a large Norwegian population‐based health survey Results – Headache and chronic musculoskeletal complaints in all parts of the body were comorbid, and the prevalence of pain in all locations was inversely related to blood pressure levels. Discussion – A likely cause for this is hypertension‐associated hypalgesia, described in both animal and human experimental models, involving interactions between cardiovascular and pain modulating centres at the brainstem level, and probably also peripheral baroreceptor mechanisms. Conclusion – Better understanding of these mechanisms may be crucial for enabling better prevention and treatment of these very prevalent, costly and disabling disorders.