Tension-Type Headache

Pain, when it becomes chronic, can be a threat to patients and it is very common to observe a fear of pain and a fear of movement (kinesiophobia). Avoidance of movement due to fear of pain can lead to a deterioration of body image. Non-medicinal therapies are essential to correct this fear and movement avoidance behavior, to decrease "catastrophic" judgments and thus anxiety. The use of art-therapy in the accompaniment of patients with pain has shown, in particular, decreases in the intensity of pain, the level of anxiety, an improvement in stress, mood and overall psychological state. However, according to the current literature, it appears that 1) this technique is rarely used in children or adolescents, for whom non-medicinal therapies are fundamental, and 2) in the case of chronic pain, the form of art used is very rarely related to the body (most often painting, drawing, music...). In this project, investigators propose to set up and test the potential benefit of art-therapy sessions related to the body, namely dance-therapy, in adolescents and young adults suffering from chronic pain.

The investigators conducted a multicenter, prospective, randomized controlled clinical study to learn whether fire needling combined with filiform needling applied to pericranial muscle tenderness areas can effectively treat chronic migraine with comorbid tension-type headache. The study will also evaluate the safety and long-term efficacy of this therapy. Its main target questions include: 1. Can fire needling significantly reduce the number of headache days per month? 2. What is the effect of this therapy on headache intensity, emotional symptoms, and quality of life? The investigators will compare "fire needling at pericranial tender points plus conventional filiform needling" versus "conventional filiform needling alone" to verify whether the key technique of fire needling plus conventional filiform needling provides unique additive value. Participants will: 1. Receive treatment twice per week for 8 weeks (either in the experimental group or the control group)，attend a follow-up visit at week 24 after enrollment 2. Keep a headache diary (recording headache frequency, pain intensity, duration, associated symptoms, etc.) 3. Regularly complete assessments of emotional status, quality of life, and number of pericranial tender points

This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of manual therapy in women with tension-type headache and to compare treatment outcomes between menopausal and premenopausal women. Hormonal changes occurring during menopause may influence pain perception and headache characteristics. Participants diagnosed with tension-type headache will receive manual therapy interventions. Headache intensity, headache-related disability, pressure pain threshold, cervical range of motion, sleep quality, and quality of life will be evaluated before and after treatment using validated assessment tools. The results are expected to contribute to physiotherapy approaches in women experiencing tension-type headache during different hormonal periods.

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate whether a multimodal physiotherapy program and guided meditation using a mobile app can help reduce headache pain and improve quality of life in adults with frequent or chronic tension-type headache. The study analyzes the effects of physical and psychological interventions applied both separately and in combination, so that the combined treatment addresses tension-type headache as a multifactorial condition influenced by biopsychophysiological factors, integrating physical and psychological strategies to improve participants' overall well-being. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does multimodal physiotherapy lower the intensity and frequency of headaches? * Does guided meditation through a mobile app help reduce stress and improve emotional well-being? * Are the combined effects of physiotherapy and meditation greater than either intervention alone? The study will compare: * A group receiving multimodal physiotherapy sessions once a week for four weeks, * A group practicing guided meditation with a mobile app for about 5 to 7 minutes daily, * A group combining both physiotherapy and meditation. Participants will: * Attend clinical sessions or use the meditation app depending on group assignment, * Complete short questionnaires about pain, stress, sleep, and daily functioning, * Record headache episodes in a structured diary during the study period.

It is planned to include 10000 patients. In the China HeadAche DIsorders RegiStry CHAIRS）, patients aged over 12 years with primary headache and medication-overuse headache(MOH) were collected. The biomarkers, imaging features, cognition, genetic characteristics, ocial and demographic data, medical data, therapeutics used, and outcome of headache-related diseases were studied, and long-term follow-up was planned.

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if cognitive behavioral approach works to treat tension type headache in smartphone addiction in adults. The main questions it aims to answer are: Is there an effect of adding cognitive behavior approach to physical therapy (manual therapy, corrective exercise therapy) on pain pressure threshold, forward head posture and headache intensity in smartphone addiction patients with tension-type headache? Researchers will compare adding cognitive behavior approach to physical therapy (manual therapy, corrective exercise therapy) to see if cognitive behavior approach works to treat tension type headache in smartphone addiction than physical therapy alone. Participants will: All participants will receive twelve treatment sessions (twice per week) in a 6 weeks period with a rest period of 48 to 72 hour between them.

The purpose of this study is to test a therapist-independent home-based smartphone app-based biofeedback treatment in adults with tension type headache. The aim of the study is to assess the safety and performance of the Cerebri-TTH biofeedback device as a preventive treatment in adults with frequent and chronic tension type headache. The primary endpoint of the study is the change in the mean Area-Under-the-headache-Curve (AUC) from baseline to the last 28-day period during the treatment phase, in the treatment group as compared to the placebo group.

In the Chinese Headache and Vertigo Registration Study, patients aged 4-99 years with headache (primary headache and secondary headache such as migraine and tension type headache), vertigo (vertigo diseases such as vestibular migraine) and chronic pain (fibromyalgia and other diseases) were collected. The biomarkers, imaging features, right-to-left shunt of the heart (lung), genetic characteristics, treatment, and outcome (in relation to other diseases) of headache-related diseases were studied, and long-term follow-up was planned.

This multi-center, nationwide study aims to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Headache Screening Questionnaire (HSQ-TR). The 10-item questionnaire is designed to screen for migraine and tension-type headache in individuals with headache complaints. Participants presenting with headache will be enrolled. Each participant will first complete the HSQ-TR and then be examined by a neurologist who will provide a diagnosis according to the ICHD-3 beta criteria. The questionnaire results will be compared with the neurologist's diagnoses to assess criterion validity, including sensitivity, specificity, and agreement.

Headaches significantly impact patients' quality of life, with tension-type headaches and migraines being among the most prevalent types. There is growing evidence suggesting that blood pressure regulation and baroreceptor activity play a role in headache pathophysiology. Carotid sinus massage (CSM), particularly when combined with the modified Trendelenburg position, may modulate autonomic nervous system activity to relieve headache symptoms. An initial open-label pilot study (n = 17) was completed, and the results were published in a preprint server for health sciences, the Medical Research Archive (medRxiv), demonstrating the feasibility, safety, and promising preliminary efficacy of CSM+T. Based on these findings, a follow-up randomized, sham-controlled, parallel-arm trial will further evaluate the efficacy of the treatment.

In the International Headache and Vertigo Registration Study, patients aged 4-99 years with headache (primary headache and secondary headache such as migraine and tension type headache), vertigo (vertigo diseases such as vestibular migraine) and chronic pain (fibromyalgia and other diseases) were collected. The biomarkers, imaging features, right-to-left shunt of the heart (lung), genetic characteristics, treatment, and outcome (in relation to other diseases) of headache-related diseases were studied, and long-term follow-up was planned.

The purpose of this research is to compare two different approaches for treating patients with tension-type headaches: thrust Manipulation, electric dry Needling and exercise Vs. non-thrust mobilization, soft-tissue mobilization, exercise and TENS. Physical therapists commonly use all of these techniques to treat tension-type headaches. This study is attempting to find out if one treatment strategy is more effective than the other.

The goal of this interventional study is to assess the efficacy of a therapeutic intervention aimed at diminishing pediatric chronic headache. This intervention is based on the development of relaxation skills, particularly the practice of deep breathing, using virtual reality in conjunction with a biofeedback device. Specifically, it aims to assess the relevance of this tool both in learning relaxation techniques and in changing cognitions involved in pain adjustment, such as self-efficacy and pain catastrophizing. The main hypothesis is that the intervention using virtual reality will lead to greater daily use of the relaxation techniques learned, as well as an increase in the associated self-efficacy, resulting in a reduction in headaches (in terms of frequency and intensity) both immediately after the intervention and two months later. A secondary hypothesis is that this intervention will contribute to a decrease in negative pain perceptions, pain catastrophizing, and functional disability. A tertiary hypothesis is that the intervention will lead to an improvement in the child's quality of life. The effects of this intervention will be compared to those of a similar intervention without the use of virtual reality, as well as to a control condition in which only psychoeducation is provided.

The study aims to explore the impact of suboccipital release versus instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization on pain intensity, pressure pain threshold, headache impact test, and headache frequency in patients with tension headache. The research will also examine the effects of these methods on headache impact tests and frequency.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of deep cervical flexor muscle exercises on pain, spinal posture, and sensory sensitivity in patients with tension-type headaches. Designed as a single-blind randomized controlled trial, the study will assess participants' pain levels using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), sensory sensitivity through the Sensory Sensitivity Scale, and spinal posture via a digital inclinometer for objective measurements. This research seeks to determine the effectiveness of these exercises in managing pain, improving spinal posture, and contributing to the enhancement of sensory sensitivity.

This project comprises two studies; a cross-sectional study and a randomized controlled trial. 1. The goal of the cross-sectional study is to compare multiple outcome parameters in different headache types: tension type (TTH), cervicogenic (CGH) and myofascial headache (MFH) as drafted by the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD). Not only will these types be compared against each other, they will also be compared to healthy controls (HC). The main research questions are: * Are the criteria drafted by the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD) discriminative for MFH? * Are there differences between the headache types (and healthy controls) in pain \& disability scores, range of motion (ROM), muscle strength, muscle elasticity and hyperalgesia (=pain pressure threshold, PPT)? Participants will : * Fill out questionnaires about their pain and disability; * Be clinically investigated by a physiotherapist (anamnesis, inspection, examination of movement and structures of the neck and head); * Undergo a testing battery including neck ROM, neck muscle strength \& elasticity and PPT measurement of the C2 processus spinosus, the bilateral upper trapezius muscle and the tibialis anterior muscle of the dominant leg. 2. The goal of this randomized controlled study is to investigate the additional effect of dry needling in the treatment of MFH patients, as compared to a treatment consisting of manual techniques only. The main question it aims to answer is: * Does manual therapy combined with dry needling provide an additional effect on pain, disability and functional outcomes in MFH patients, as compared to manual therapy alone? After the baseline test (see part 1), participants with MFH will be randomly divided to receive 4 sessions over 4 weeks of MT or MT + DN. Hereafter, the baseline test is repeated at 1 week and 3 months post-treatment.

Tension-type headaches, characterized by a dull, aching head pain, are one of the most prevalent forms of headache disorders worldwide. Although they are typically not associated with severe disability or neurological symptoms, they can significantly impact an individual's quality of life due to chronic pain and discomfort. Non-pharmacological interventions, such as manual therapy techniques, have gained prominence in headache management, offering potential relief and functional improvements for patients. This study aims to investigate the comparative effectiveness of two widely used manual therapy approaches, Mulligan mobilization and Active Release Technique (ART), in alleviating pain, reducing disability, and enhancing range of motion (ROM) in patients suffering from tension-type headaches. Understanding which technique offers superior outcomes is vital for optimizing headache management strategies.