Indications for Peripheral and Central Sensitization in Patients With Chronic Scalp Pain (Trichodynia)

The document presents a study that investigated the mechanisms behind chronic scalp pain in trichodynia patients, involving 16 patients and 19 healthy controls. The study found that trichodynia patients had lower thresholds for light touch and pressure pain, a high rate of static allodynia, and a significant negative correlation between pain intensity and scalp thresholds. Pain was associated with hair cycle abnormalities and was accompanied by generalized hyperalgesia, as evidenced by lower pressure-pain thresholds in the hands. The presence of increased inflammatory markers and neurogenic inflammation suggests peripheral sensitization, while symptoms in non-scalp areas suggest central sensitization. The study concludes that both peripheral and central sensitization are involved in trichodynia, with potential implications for treatment strategies targeting these sensitizations. However, the study had limitations, including a small sample size and lack of examiner blinding.