What is the relationship between migraines and myofascial trigger points?

Research now indicates that tension type headaches can certainly be the result of myofascial trigger points (TrP).

Migraine headaches co-exist in both fibromyalgia (FM) and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), and can be a great factor in decreasing our pain threshold. It is like every nerve ending we have is fresh, raw and exposed. One more insult has us ready to explode.

Though we still don’t know for sure what causes migraine, we are learning. Cervicogenic migraine is a migraine attack that is perpetuated or preceded by neck pain. Before long, a whole cascade of events begins and the once latent trigger points (those that can be felt but aren’t painful until pressure is applied) in the face develop into full blown active TrPs, ones that hurt and radiate pain seemingly without warning without even touching them.

I can feel them with my fingers and when I apply pressure, this helps if I can get them to release. If treatment is successful, you can feel them release under your finger, and sometime can feel the tell tale local twitch response. Treating all of these TrPs can help with the attack. It is when I neglect treating them before this point that I am more likely to have this migraine, and the greater the neglect, usually the more intense the headache.