Central sensitization, work-related stress, and musculoskeletal pain symptoms in desk-based workers with and without migraine: a cross-sectional study.

Abstract

Background: Migraine can impair productivity, work performance, and daily functioning in working-age adults. While higher Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI) scores have been observed in migraine chronicity, work-related stress, and musculoskeletal pain are also common among desk-based workers and may play a role in exacerbating migraine symptoms. However, these factors have rarely been studied together in this population. This cross-sectional study aimed to compare central sensitization, work-related stress, and musculoskeletal pain symptoms in desk-based workers with and without migraine, to examine the relationships among them, and to identify the determinants of central sensitization in individuals with migraine.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 228 desk-based workers: a control group (CG) without migraine (n = 84), episodic migraine (EM) (n = 74), and chronic migraine (CM) (n = 70). Participants completed the CSI, General Work Stress Scale (GWSS), Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ), Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS), and Headache Impact Test-6 (HIT-6). Group comparisons were performed using ANOVA or Kruskal-Wallis tests. Spearman coefficients were used in correlation analyses. Multiple linear regression was applied to identify factors associated with CSI.

Results: Both migraine groups scored higher on the CSI compared to the CG (p < 0.001), with CM showing the highest CSI scores. This difference remained significant after adjusting for confounders. GWSS scores were also higher in both migraine groups than the CG (p < 0.001) and remained significant after adjustment. NMQ;3-items were significantly higher in the migraine groups compared to the CG (p ≤ 0.005), independent of confounders. In the migraine groups, higher CSI scores showed a positive correlation with GWSS, MIDAS, HIT-6, and NMQ. In multiple linear regression analysis, GWSS (β = 0.380), number of painful body regions during the past 12 months (β = 0.382), MIDAS (β = 0.230), and the number of headache days per month (β = 0.170) were identified as variables independently associated with CSI scores (all p < 0.05).

Conclusions: Desk-based workers with migraine had higher central sensitization, greater work-related stress, and more widespread musculoskeletal pain symptoms compared to those without migraine. In desk-based workers with migraine, central sensitization was more pronounced in CM than EM, suggesting a potential role in migraine chronicity. These findings support multifaceted management strategies for desk-based workers with migraine, including headache-stress management, musculoskeletal rehabilitation, and Sustainable Development Goal-3, "to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all ages."

Trial registration: NCT07554664 (registration date: 21.04.2026).