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Background: Neck pain is common among individuals with migraine, but there is a lack of information of how this comorbidity can be associated with cervical muscle function. This controlled cross‐sectional study aimed to compare cervical muscle function, activity, and sensitization in women with migraine, neck pain, both, and neither. Methods: This study included women, between 18 and 55 years old, with either episodic migraine with or without aura, without any concomitant headache diagnosis; chronic neck pain, with at least moderate intensity and mild disability; or neither headache nor neck pain. Pain pressure threshold, allodynia, muscle strength, and endurance and cervical muscles activity were evaluated. Results: One hundred subjects, with mean age of 30.4 years old, were stratified by diagnosis (n = 25 per group) and by self‐reported pain during tests. Lower endurance during flexion was observed for migraine and neck pain (34s) relative to neck pain alone (45s), migraine (40s), and controls (58s) (p = 0.04). For extensor endurance, means were 142s, 166s, 215s, and 270s, respectively (p < 0.001). Endurance times were impacted by the presence of test‐induced pain decreasing about 40%–53% of the performance. Diagnostic groups did not differ significantly in strength (p > 0.05), but all pain groups presented significantly higher proportion of test‐induced pain, lower muscle activity during the maximal isometric voluntary contractions, and lower pressure pain thresholds. Conclusion: Patients with migraine, chronic neck pain, and the association of both present altered cervical muscle function and activity. Also, test‐induced pain impacts significantly on neck muscles endurance. Significance: The diagnosis of migraine and chronic neck pain is associated with altered function and activity of the cervical muscles. However, the test‐induced pain had an important contribution to worse cervical muscle endurance. This suggests that the therapeutic approach should focus on de‐sensitization of the trigeminal–cervical complex when dealing with the comorbidity of migraine and cervical pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fear of movement (kinesiophobia) seems to play an important role in the development of chronic pain. However, for temporomandibular disorders ( TMD), there is a scarcity of studies about this topic. The Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia for TMD ( TSK/ TMD) is the most widely used instrument to measure fear of movement and it is not available in Brazilian Portuguese. The purpose of this study was to culturally adapt the TSK/ TMD to Brazilian Portuguese and to assess its psychometric properties regarding internal consistency, reliability, and construct and structural validity. A total of 100 female patients with chronic TMD participated in the validation process of the TSK/ TMD-Br. The intraclass correlation coefficient ( ICC) was used for statistical analysis of reliability (test-retest), Cronbach's alpha for internal consistency, Spearman's rank correlation for construct validity and confirmatory factor analysis ( CFA) for structural validity. CFA endorsed the pre-specified model with two domains and 12-items (Activity Avoidance - AA/Somatic Focus - SF) and all items obtained a loading factor greater than 0·4. Acceptable levels of reliability were found (ICC > 0·75) for all questions and domains of the TSK/ TMD-Br. For internal consistency, Cronbach's α of 0·78 for both domains were found. Moderate correlations (0·40 < r < 0.60) were observed for 84% of the analyses conducted between TSK/ TMD-Br scores versus catastrophising, depression and jaw functional limitation. TSK/ TMD-Br 12 items and two-factor demonstrated sound psychometric properties (transcultural validity, reliability, internal consistency and structural validity). In such a way, the instrument can be used in clinical settings and for research purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Many studies have demonstrated the presence of somatosensory modulation changes at different sites in patients with temporomandibular disorders ( TMDs) using different modalities. However, the neck area, a well-know condition related to TMD, remains unexplored. Objective To assess the thermal pain threshold in patients with TMD and controls at cephalic and extra-cephalic areas, including the neck. Methods Twenty female patients with TMDs diagnosed by the Research Diagnostic Criteria for TMD ( RDC/ TMD) and twenty age-matched controls underwent a first interview about neck pain and disability ( NDI questionnaire). A blinded evaluator assessed the thermal pain threshold for cold ( CPT) and heat ( HPT) stimuli in accordance with an ascending method of limits of the Quantitative Sensory Testing at the following sites: periorbital, masseter, cervical posterior and ventral forearm. The groups were compared using a t-test with α = 5%. Results Patients with TMDs reported pain at higher temperature for cold stimuli in all sites ( P < 0·05) and at lower temperature for heat stimuli in the right periorbital site ( P < 0·05) than controls. Pain and disability due tothis symptom were reported more often in the TMD group ( P < 0·05). Conclusion Patients with TMD have pain modulation changes in the neck area as well, especially for cold stimuli, associated with higher disability and a higher report of neck pain than controls. These findings reinforce the evidence regarding the relationship between TMDs and neck pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neck pain is the most common musculoskeletal complaint among computer office workers. There are several reports about the coexistence of neck pain and temporomandibular disorders ( TMD). However, there are no studies investigating this association in the context of work involving computers. The purpose of this study was to verify the association between TMD and neck pain in computer office workers. Fifty-two female computer workers who were divided into two groups: (i) those with self-reported chronic neck pain and disability ( WNP) ( n = 26) and (ii) those without self-reported neck pain ( WONP) ( n = 26), and a control group ( CG) consisting of 26 women who did not work with computers participated in this study. Clinical assessments were performed to establish a diagnosis of TMD, and craniocervical mechanical pain was assessed using manual palpation and pressure pain threshold ( PPT). The results of this study showed that the WNP group had a higher percentage of participants with TMD than the WONP group (42·30% vs. 23·07%, χ2 = 5·70, P = 0·02). PPTs in all cervical sites were significantly lower in the groups WNP and WONP compared to the CG. Regression analysis revealed TMD, neck pain and work-related factors to be good predictors of disability ( R 2 = 0·93, P < 0·001). These results highlighted the importance of considering the work conditions of patients with TMD, as neck disability in computer workers is explained by the association among neck pain, TMD and unfavourable workplace conditions. Consequently, this study attempted to emphasise the importance of considering work activity for minimising neck pain-related disability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]