Myofascial Trigger Points in Children With Tension-Type Headache: A New Diagnostic and Therapeutic Option

Stülpnagel, Celina von; Reilich, Peter; Straube, Andreas; Schäfer, Jan; Blaschek, Astrid; Lee, Seung-Hee; Müller-Felber, Wolfgang; Henschel, Volkmar; Mansmann, Ulrich and Heinen, Florian (2009): Myofascial Trigger Points in Children With Tension-Type Headache: A New Diagnostic and Therapeutic Option. In: Journal of Child Neurology, Vol. 24, No. 4: pp. 406-409

Abstract

The goal of this pilot study was to evaluate the effect of a trigger point–specific physiotherapy on headache frequency, intensity, and duration in children with episodic or chronic tension-type headache. Patients were recruited from the special headache outpatient clinic. A total of 9 girls (mean age 13.1 years; range, 5-15 years) with the diagnosis of tension-type headache participated in the pilot study from May to September 2006 and received trigger point–specific physiotherapy twice a week by a trained physiotherapist. After an average number of 6.5 therapeutic sessions, the headache frequency had been reduced by 67.7%, intensity by 74.3%, and duration by 77.3%. No side effects were noted during the treatment. These preliminary findings suggest a role for active trigger points in children with tension-type headache. Trigger point–specific physiotherapy seems to be an effective therapy in these children. Further prospective and controlled studies in a larger cohort are warranted.

• Item Type: Journal article
• Form of publication: Publisher's Version
• Keywords: tension-type headache; myofascial trigger points; physiotherapy
• Faculties: Medicine > Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry and Epidemiology
• Subjects: 600 Technology > 610 Medicine and health
• Alliance/National Licence: This publication is with permission of the rights owner freely accessible due to an Alliance licence and a national licence (funded by the DFG, German Research Foundation) respectively.
• Language: English