Myofascial Trigger Point Release Massage Therapy Relieves Tension-Type Headaches.

who had previous experience in MTrPs identification and had completed training sessions to ensure treatment standardization. Detuned ultrasonography was used in the placebo group. The wait-list group received no treatments but was involved in all outcomes measured. Six participants withdrew from the trial. Headache diaries, maintained by all participants, showed that compared with baseline, a significant decrease in headache frequency occurred for the massage (P=.0003) and placebo (P=.013) groups. However, the diaries revealed no significant differences in the groups regarding headache duration, headache intensity, or medication use. Headache Disability Inventory scores showed a significant decrease in the massage group (P=.0003). However, both the massage (P=.0002) and placebo (P=.011) groups showed significant decreases in Headache Impact Test scores. After the treatment portion of the study, 84.7% of the massage, 50% of the placebo, and 0% of the wait-list groups reported improvements (P<.001). Pressure-pain thresholds were assessed bilaterally in the muscles massaged and were found to have significant improvements in the massage group (P<.002 for all outcomes). Although the exact cause of TTH is still unknown, this study suggests that MTrPs are a Myofascial Trigger Point Release Massage Therapy Relieves Tension-Type Headaches