MIGRAINE AND THE NECK

Fifty patients with migraine were asked about the occurrence of neck s ymptoms during different phases of their attacks, and if they felt the neck could act as a precipitant. Of the 32 reporting neck pain or sti ffness, 10 noted symptoms during the premonitory phase, 30 during the headache phase, and 10 postdromally. In 7 cases the pain radiated into the shoulder and in 1 case into the lumbar region. These findings ind icate extracerebral involvement of the migraine process and an overlap between the trigeminal and cervical distribution.