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Health Dictionary

Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.

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Tension headache physical examination

Introduction

Overview

Overview

Tension type headache may have following examination findings: Increased pericranial muscle (head, neck or shoulders) and myofascial tissue tenderness on manual palpation. Increased number of myofacial trigger points: frontal, temporal, masseter, ptrygoid, sternocleidomastoid, splenius, and trapezius mucles.

Physical examination

Physical examination

  • Tension type headache may have following examination findings:[1][2]
    • Increased pericranial muscle (head, neck or shoulders) and myofascial tissue tenderness on manual palpation.[3][4]
    • Increased number of myofacial trigger points: frontal, temporal, masseter, ptrygoid, sternocleidomastoid, splenius, and trapezius mucles.[5]
References

References

  1. ↑ Sandrini G, Antonaci F, Pucci E, Bono G, Nappi G (December 1994). “Comparative study with EMG, pressure algometry and manual palpation in tension-type headache and migraine”. Cephalalgia. 14 (6): 451–7, discussion 394–5. doi:10.1046/j.1468-2982.1994.1406451.x. PMID 7697707.
  2. ↑ Jensen R, Fuglsang-Frederiksen A (June 1994). “Quantitative surface EMG of pericranial muscles. Relation to age and sex in a general population”. Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol. 93 (3): 175–83. doi:10.1016/0168-5597(94)90038-8. PMID 7515793.
  3. ↑ Fernández-de-Las-Peñas C, Alonso-Blanco C, Cuadrado ML, Gerwin RD, Pareja JA (September 2006). “Myofascial trigger points and their relationship to headache clinical parameters in chronic tension-type headache”. Headache. 46 (8): 1264–72. doi:10.1111/j.1526-4610.2006.00440.x. PMID 16942471.
  4. ↑ Fernández-de-las-Peñas C, Alonso-Blanco C, Cuadrado ML, Gerwin RD, Pareja JA (March 2006). “Trigger points in the suboccipital muscles and forward head posture in tension-type headache”. Headache. 46 (3): 454–60. doi:10.1111/j.1526-4610.2006.00288.x. PMID 16618263.
  5. ↑ Fernández-de-Las-Peñas C, Cuadrado ML, Pareja JA (May 2007). “Myofascial trigger points, neck mobility, and forward head posture in episodic tension-type headache”. Headache. 47 (5): 662–72. doi:10.1111/j.1526-4610.2006.00632.x. PMID 17501847.

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Sabeeh Islam, MBBS[2]