Episodic and chronic migraineurs are hypersensitive to thermal stimuli between migraine attacks

Objective: To determine if migraineurs have evidence of interictal cutaneous sensitisation. Subjects and methods: Thermal and mechanical pain thresholds in 20 episodic migraineurs, 20 chronic migraineurs, and 20 non-migraine control subjects were compared. Quantitative sensory testing was conducted when subjects had been migraine-free for at least 48 h. Heat, cold and mechanical pain thresholds, and heat and cold pain tolerance thresholds were measured. Results: Thermal pain thresholds and thermal pain tolerance thresholds differed significantly by headache group (P = 0.001). During the interictal period, episodic and chronic migraineurs were more sensitive to thermal stimulation than non-migraine controls. Conclusions: Interictal sensitisation may predispose the migraineur to development of headaches, may be a marker of migraine activity, and a target for treatment.