Effects of thai traditional massage on pressure pain threshold and headache intensity in patients with chronic tension-type and migraine headaches

摘要

Objective: To investigate the effects of Thai traditional massage (TTM) on pressure pain threshold (PPT) and headache intensity in patients with chronic tension-type and migraine headaches. Design: Randomized controlled trial of TTM compared with the sham ultrasound (nine sessions each) during a 3-week period. Participants: Seventy-two participants who had had a headache diagnosis for at least 3 months before the experiment was recruited. Results: After the treatment and at 3 and 9 weeks of follow-up, the TTM group showed a significant increase in PPT (p0.01) compared with the sham ultrasound group. PPT values at baseline, after 3 weeks of treatment, and at 3- and 9-week follow-up for the TTM group were 2.71±1.22, 3.57±1.41, 3.72±1.46, and 3.42±1.46 pounds/cm2, respectively; values in the sham ultrasound group were 2.85±1.20, 2.62±1.07, 2.58±1.05 and 2.63±0.94 pounds/cm2. In both groups, headache intensity decreased significantly (p0.05) at every end point of the outcome measures, and there were no differences between the groups (p0.05). Conclusions: TTM could increase PPT and reduce headache intensity, suggesting that this is a possible alternative treatment for chronic headaches.