Australian researchers have found CRPS doesn’t just attack the body and may ignite chronic headaches and near-daily migraines.
A limb injury that spirals into chronic pain may also trigger relentless migraines, with new research showing two in three adults with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome go on to develop new or worsening headaches.
And one in five will experience headaches almost every day, according to the research that has found a direct clinical link between the two debilitating conditions.
Findings from the Murdoch University study have been published in the journal Cephalagia.
“Migraine and chronic daily headache developed in previously headache-free patients after the onset of CRPS, in association with ipsilateral cranial symptoms,” the authors wrote.
“Recognising this link is crucial for effective management of these co-morbid conditions. Our findings suggest that mechanisms shared by CRPS and migraine, such as central sensitisation and loss of inhibitory pain controls, contribute to headache and other cranial symptoms.
“The findings also imply that CRPS and migraine aggravate each other, possibly in a reciprocal cycle. If so, breaking this cycle could allow otherwise intractable symptoms and pain to subside.”
The study examined 88 adult CRPS patients in Perth and found 66% reported migraines that began or intensified after the onset of CRPS, while 22% suffered headaches on a near-daily basis.
Researchers also found the pain conditions frequently affected the same side of the body and shared overlapping symptoms, including limb pain, light sensitivity, touch sensitivity and forehead tenderness, suggesting one condition may exacerbate the other.
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Professor Peter Drummond from Murdoch University’s School of Psychology said the findings marked an important step toward improving treatment.
“We found that migraine headaches often began or got worse after the injury that triggered CRPS. There seemed to be a direct connection between the limb injury and the headaches as they were often on the same side of the body and symptoms overlapped. That is, one condition may feed the other,” he said.
Professor Drummond said many people with CRPS faced long-term pain due to limited understanding and treatment options, and greater recognition of the link with migraine could improve outcomes.
“We hope that greater recognition of the link between CRPS and migraine will clarify understanding of both conditions and will result in more effective treatment of headaches and a better quality of life for people with CRPS.
“It is crucial that we clarify our understanding of the mechanisms that drive chronic pain so that more effective treatments can be developed.”
The researchers recommend routine screening for migraine in CRPS clinics and screening for CRPS signs in headache clinics, as well as more integrated management approaches.
Migraine is Australia’s most common neurological condition, affecting an estimated 1.7 million people and costing the economy tens of billions of dollars through healthcare expenses and lost productivity.
CRPS, while rare, is a serious chronic pain condition that can develop after a limb injury such as a fracture or sprain, with pain persisting for months or years and sometimes spreading beyond the original injury site.
