Soft Tissue Mobilizations as a Treatment for a Tension-Type Headache

Abstract

Background A tension-type headache (TTH) is the most common form of a headache, and what many people consider as their 'normal' a headache, in contrast with a migraine. Episodic TTH is characterized by a bilateral, pressing, tightening pain of mild to moderate intensity [1]. Chronic TTH is a disorder that evolves from episodic TTH, with daily or very frequent episodes of a headache lasting minutes to days. The 2004 International Headache Society criteria for chronic TTH are: headaches on 15 or more days a month (180 days/year) for at least three months; pain which does not worsen with routine physical activity (such as walking or climbing stairs); presence of no more than one additional clinical feature (mild nausea, photophobia, or phonophobia) and without moderate/severe nausea or vomiting [2]. Among many types of headache disorders, TTH is the most frequent in adults. Population-based studies suggest 1-year prevalence rates of 38.3% for episodic TTH and 2.2% for chronic TTH [3]. To quantify the impact of a headache on daily living, the Henry Ford Hospital has developed in 1994 a 25item headache disability inventory (HDI). The alpha version of AbstractBackground: A tension-type headache (TTH) is the most common form of a headache. The complex interrelation among the various pathophysiological aspects of TTH might explain why this disorder is so diffi cult to treat. Manual therapy is considered one of the main treatments for TTH. Massage therapy techniques, which act in part to increase blood fl ow to tissue, may reduce the activity of myofascial trigger points. Thus, it is possible that headaches originating from this etiology may be reduced with soft tissue mobilizations.