Manual Therapy for Tension Headache With Psychological Disorders

University of Valencia

Status: Completed

Conditions: Tension-type Headache

Treatments: Other: The suboccipital technique; Other: Combined treatment; Other: The articulatory technique

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02170259

UVtensiontype

Details and patient eligibility

About

Introduction. Tension-type headache is a highly prevalent disorder with a significant socio-economic impact, affecting psychological aspects. This study aims to assess aspects pertaining to anxiety, depression, headache frequency and pain intensity.

Subjects and methods. A clinical trial was conducted on 84 participants suffering from tension-type headache, divided into 4 groups, the mean age being 39.76 years (SD 11.38). The first group received suboccipital soft tissue treatment (ST); the second group was treated with articulatory technique (AT); the third group was applied a combination of both techniques (ST and AT) and a forth group which served as control group. Treatment sessions were administered during four weeks, with a post-treatment assessment, and follow-up after one month. The investigators conducted Repeated measures Analysis of Covariance (RM-MANCOVA) to evaluate the effect of treatment on between and within-subject conditions and their interaction on reported depression, anxiety, and headache pain frequency and intensity.

Enrollment: 84 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 65 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Patients participating in this study had been diagnosed in primary healthcare centers with frequent episodic tension-type headache (ETTH) or chronic tension-type headache (CTTH) as described by the International Headache Society (IHS). Participants presented pericranial tenderness evolving over a period greater than six months and all were pharmacologically stable.

Exclusion criteria

• Exclusion criteria covered patients with secondary headache suffering from photophobia or phonophobia, nausea or vomiting, cases of headache aggravated by head movements, musculoskeletal disorders, previous neck trauma, vertigo, dizziness, arterial hypertension, arthritis or advanced degenerative osteoarthritis, patients with heart devices, excessive emotional tension, neurological disorders, radiological alterations, pregnancy and a positive vertebral artery test.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Factorial Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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84 participants in 4 patient groups

suboccipital technique

Experimental group

Description:

The suboccipital technique (ST) aims to release the spasm of the muscles affected in tension-type headaches and in general of suboccipital soft tissues, as they are responsible for the mobility dysfunction of the occiput-atlas-axis joint; this releases the facial restriction of this region.

Treatment:

Other: The suboccipital technique

The articulatory technique

Experimental group

Description:

- The articulatory technique (AT) was administered to correct and restore the mobility of joints between occiput, atlas and axis - correcting a global joint dysfunction. This technique was performed in supine position, in the same manner as the preceding technique, bilaterally and in two phases.

Treatment:

Other: The articulatory technique

Combined treatment

Experimental group

Description:

Combined treatment (ST and AT). Combination treatment consisted of the application of the two preceding treatments in the same sequence: first, treatment with ST and then AT.

Treatment:

Other: Combined treatment

Control group

No Intervention group

Description:

Control group. The control group was not applied a treatment technique