Hypertension-associated hypalgesia: a clue to the comorbidity of headache and other pain disorders.
BACKGROUND
Primary headaches and chronic musculoskeletal pain are prevalent disorders with incompletely known causes.


OBJECTIVE
To review the data from the HUNT studies on the comorbidity of these pain disorders, and their relation to blood pressure levels.


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.


CONCLUSIONS
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.


CONCLUSIONS
Better understanding of these mechanisms may be crucial for enabling better prevention and treatment of these very prevalent, costly and disabling disorders.
Stovner
L J
LJ
Department of Neuroscience, Norwegian National Headache Centre, Norwegian University of Science and Technology and St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim, Norway. lars.stovner@ntnu.no
Hagen
K
K
D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D010146:Pain / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies