Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics
Volume 32, Issue 5 , Pages 344-351 , June 2009

A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial of Chiropractic and Medical Prophylactic Treatment of Adults With Tension-Type Headache: Results From a Stopped Trial

  • Howard Vernon, DC, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Division of Research, Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College, Toronto, ON, Canada
    • Corresponding Author InformationSubmit requests for reprints to: Howard Vernon, DC, PhD, Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College, 6100 Leslie Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M2H 3J1
    • ,
  • Gwen Jansz, PhD, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Family and Community Medicine, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
    • ,
  • Charles H. Goldsmith, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
    • ,
  • Cameron McDermaid, DC

      Affiliations

    • Division of Research, Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College, Toronto, ON, Canada

Received 29 September 2008 ,Revised 13 April 2009 ,Accepted 24 April 2009.

References 

  1. International Headache Society. Classification and diagnostic criteria for headache disorders, cranial neuralgias and facial pain. Cephalalgia. 1988;(Suppl 7):
  2. The International Classification of headache disorders. Headache classification subcommittee of the International Headache Society. Cephalalgia. 2004;24(Suppl 1):8–152
  3. Waters WE. The Pontypridd headache survey. Headache. 1974;14:81–90
  4. Honskaalo M-L, Kaprio J, Keikkila K, Sillanpaa M, Koskenvuo M. A population-based survey of headache and migraine in 22,809 adults. Headache. 1993;33:403–412
  5. Silberstein SD. Tension-type headaches. Headache. 1994;34:s2–s7
  6. Gobel H, Peterson-braun M, Soyka D. The epidemiology of headache in Germany: a nationwide survey of a representative sample on the basis of the headache classification of the international headache society. Cephalagia. 1994;14:97–106
  7. Ramussen BK. Epidemiology of headache. Cephalalgia. 1995;15:45–68
  8. Wober-bingol C, Wober C, Karwautz A, et al. Tension-type headache in different age groups at two headache centers. Pain. 1996;67:53–58
  9. Leonardi M, Nusicoo M, Nappi G. Headache as a major public health problem: current status. Cephalalgia. 1998;18:66–69
  10. Schwartz BS, Stewart F, Simon D, Lipton RB. Epidemiology of tension-type headache. J Amer Med Assoc. 1998;279:381–383
  11. Goadsby PJ. Headache (chronic tension-type). Clin Evid. 2003;(10):1538–1546
  12. Jensen R. Diagnosis, epidemiology and impact of tension-type headache. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2003;7:455–459
  13. Krusz JC. Tension-type headaches: what they are and how to treat them. Prim Care. 2004;31(2):293–311
  14. Silver N. Headache (chronic tension-type). Clin Evid. 2005;14:1610–1619
  15. Rasmussen BK, Jensen R, Olesen J. Impact of headache on sickness absence and utilisation of medical services: a Danish population study. J Epidemiol Commun Health. 1992;46:443–446
  16. Pryse-Phillips W, Findlay H, Tugwell P, Edmeads J, Murray TJ, Nelson RF. A Canadian population survey on the clinical, epidemiologic and societal impact of migraine and tension-type headache. Can J Neurol Sci. 1992;19:333–339
  17. Edmeads J, Findlay H, Tugwell P, Pryse-Phillips W, Nelson RF, Murray TJ. Impact of migraine and tension-type headache on life-style, consulting behaviour, and medication use: a Canadian population survey. Can J Neurol Sci. 1993;20:131–137
  18. Schwartz BS, Stewart WF, Linton RB. Lost workdays and decreased work effectiveness associated with headache in the workplace. J Occup Environ Med. 1997;39:320–327
  19. Ashina S, Ashina M. Current and potential future drug therapies for tension-type headache. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2003;7:466–474
  20. Martin-Araguz A, Bustamante-Martinez C, de Pedro-Pijoan JM. Treatment of chronic tension type headache with mirtazapine and amitriptyline. Rev Neurol. 2003;37:101–105
  21. Colombo B, Annovazzi PO, Comi G. Therapy of primary headaches: the role of antidepressants. Neurol Sci. 2004;25(Suppl 3):S171–S175
  22. Tomkins GE, Jackson JL, O'Malley PG, Balen E, Santoro JE. The treatment of chronic headache with anti-depressants: a meta-analysis. Am J Med. 2001;111:54–63
  23. Cerbo R, Barbbanti P, Fabbrini G, Pascali MP. Amitriptyline is effective in chronic but not in episodic tension-type headache: pathogenetic implications. Headache. 1998;45:34–57
  24. Bendtsen L, Jensen R. Amitriptyline reduces myofascial tenderness in patients with chronic tension-type headache. Cephalalgia. 2000;20(6):603–610
  25. Vandenheede M, Schoenen J. Central mechanisms in tension-type headaches. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2002;6:392–400
  26. Ashina S, Bendtsen L, Ashina M, Jensen R. Generalized hyperalgesia in patients with chronic tension-type headache. Cephalalgia. 2006;26:940–948
  27. Kelner M, Wellman B. Who seeks alternative health care? A profile of the users of five modes of treatment. J Altern Complement Med. 1997;3:127–140
  28. von Peter S, Ting W, Scrivani S, et al. Survey on the use of complementary and alternative medicine among patients with headache symptoms. Cephalalgia. 2002;22:395–400
  29. Lenaerts ME. Alternative therapies for tension-type headache. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2004;8(6):484–488
  30. Termine C, Ginevra OF, D'Arrigo S, Rossi M, Lanzi G. Alternative therapies in the treatment of headache in childhood, adolescence and adulthood. Funct Neurol. 2005;20:9–14
  31. Tan G, Alvarez JA, Jensen MP. Complementary and alternative medicine approaches to pain management. J Clin Psychol. 2006;62:1419–1431
  32. Vernon H, McDermaid CS, Hagino C. Systematic review of randomized clinical trials of complementary/alternative therapies in the treatment of tension-type and cervicogenic headache. Compl Ther Med. 1999;7:142–145
  33. Bronfort G, Assendelft WJ, Evans R, Haas M, Bouter L. Efficacy of spinal manipulation for chronic headache: a systematic review. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2001;24:457–466
  34. Bronfort G, Nilsson N, Haas M, Evans R, Goldsmith CH, Assendelft WJJ, et al. Non-invasive physical treatments for chronic/recurrent headache. Cochrane Rev. 2005;
  35. Fernandez de las Penas C, Alonso-Blanco C, Cuadrado ML, Miangolarra JC, Barriga FJ, Pareja PA. Manual therapies in the management of tension-type headache. Headache. 2005;45:169–171
  36. Lenssinck M-LB, Damen L, Verhagen AP, Berger MY, Passchier J, Koes BW. The effectiveness of physiotherapy and manipulation in patients with tension-type headache: a systematic review. Pain. 2004;112:381–388
  37. Boline PD, Kassak K, Bronfort G, Nelson C, Anderson AV. Spinal manipulation vs amitriptyline for the treatment of chronic tension-type headache: a randomized clinical trial. J Manip Physiol Ther. 1995;18:148–154
  38. Bove J, Nilsson N. Spinal manipulation in the treatment of episodic tension-type headache: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 1998;280:1576–1579
  39. van Ettekoven H, Lucas C. Efficacy of physiotherapy including a craniocervical training programme for tension-type headache—a randomized clinical trial. Cephalalgia. 2006;26:983–991
  40. Anderson RE, Seniscal C. A comparison of selected osteopathic treatment and relaxation for tension-type headaches. Headache. 2006;46:1273–1280
  41. Sandoz R. The physical mechanisms and effect of spinal adjustments. Ann Swiss Chiropr Assoc. 1976;6:91–141
  42. Brodeur R. The audible release associated with joint manipulation. J Manip Physiol Ther. 1995;18:155–164
  43. International Headache Society Committee on Clinical Trials. Guidelines for trials of drug treatments in tension-type headache. Cephalalgia. 1995;15:165–179
  44. Zung WW. A self-rating depression scale. Arch Gen Psych. 1965;12:63–70
  45. Vernon H, MacAdam K, Marshall V, Pion M, Sadowska M. Validation of a sham manipulative procedure for the cervical spine for use in clinical trials. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2005;28:662–666
  46. Blanchard EB, Andrassik F. Management of chronic headaches: a psychological approach. New York: Pergammon Press; 1985;
  47. Pfaffenrath V, Diener H-C, Isler H, et al. Efficacy and tolerability of amitriptyline in the treatment of chronic tension-type headache: a multi-centre controlled study. Cephalalgia. 1994;14:149–155
  48. Indaco A, Carrieri PB. Amitriptyline in the treatment of headache in patients with Parkinson's disease: a double-blind placebo-controlled study. Neurol. 1988;38:1720–1722
  49. Bendtsen L, Jensen R, Olesen J. Amitriptyline, a combined serotonin and noradrenaline re-uptake inhibitor, reduces exteroceptive suppression of temporal muscle activity in patients with chronic tension-type headache. Elec Clin Neurophys. 1996;10:1418–1422
  50. Schafer JL. Analysis of incomplete multivariate data. London: Chapman and Hall; 1997;
  51. Haas M, Groupp E, Kraemer DF. Dose-response for chiropractic care of chronic low back pain. Spine J. 2004;4(5):574–583
  52. Hurwitz EL, Morgenstern H, Harber P, Kominski GF, Yu F, Adams AH. A randomized trial of chiropractic manipulation and mobilization for patients with neck pain: clinical outcomes from the UCLA neck-pain study. Am J Public Health. 2002 Oct;92(10):1634–1641
  53. Hurwitz EL, Morgenstern H, Harber P, Kominski GF, Belin TR, Yu F, et al. A randomized trial of medical care with and without physical therapy and chiropractic care with and without physical modalities for patients with low back pain: 6-month follow-up outcomes from the UCLA low back pain study. Spine. 2002;27:2193–2204
  54. Schneider J, Vuckovic N, DeBar L. Willingness to participate in complementary and alternative medicine clinical trials among patients with craniofacial disorders. J Altern Complement Med. 2003;9:389–401
  55. Ohmann C, Deimling A. Attitude towards clinical trials: results of a survey of persons interested in research. Inflamm Res. 2004;53(Suppl 2):S142–S147

 Funding Sources: Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Ontario, Canada; Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College; Ontario Chiropractic College.

PII: S0161-4754(09)00111-0

doi: 10.1016/j.jmpt.2009.04.004

Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics
Volume 32, Issue 5 , Pages 344-351 , June 2009

Article Tools

* Image Usage & Resolution