EFFECTIVENESS OF A PHYSICAL THERAPY REGIMEN IN THE TREATMENT OF TENSION-TYPE HEADACHE

Twenty patients with diagnosis of muscle contraction headache were tre ated for pain relief in a physical therapy clinic once a week for six visits. The previous 3-week period of no treatment served as a control period during which patients recorded by diary their headache frequen cy, duration, and intensity using a numeric pain scale. Activity level , as measured by the Sickness Impact Profile, and verbal reports of he adache frequency, duration, and intensity were recorded at four points during a 1-year period. Measurements were recorded at precontrol, pre treatment, posttreatment, and 12-month follow-up. Treatment included e ducation for posture at home and work place, isotonic home exercise, m assage, and stretching to the cervical spine muscles. Results indicate d frequency of headaches and Sickness Impact Profile scores were signi ficantly improved (P<0.001) over the course of treatment. These benefi ts were maintained after 12 months.