Massaging over the greater occipital nerve reduces the intensity of migraine attacks: evidence for inhibitory trigemino-cervical convergence mechanisms

Activation of the trigemino-cervical system constitutes one of the first steps in the genesis of migraine. The objective of this study was to confirm the presence of trigemino-cervical convergence mechanisms and to establish whether such mechanisms may also be of inhibitory origin. We describe a case of a 39-years-old woman suffering from episodic migraine who showed a significant improvement in her frontal headache during migraine attacks if the greater occipital nerve territory was massaged after the appearance of static mechanical allodynia (cortical sensitization). We review trigemino-cervical convergence and diffuse nociceptive inhibitory control (DNIC) mechanisms and suggest that the convergence mechanisms are not only excitatory but also inhibitory.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Piovesan,Elcio Juliato, Di Stani,Fabrizio, Kowacs,Pedro André, Mulinari,Rogério Andrade, Radunz,Victor Hugo, Utiumi,Marco, Muranka,Eder B, Giublin,Mario Luiz, Werneck,Lineu César
Format:	Digital revista
Language:	English
Published:	Academia Brasileira de Neurologia - ABNEURO 2007
Online Access:	http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0004-282X2007000400010
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