Tension Headache

Researchers are evaluating the Erchonia4 EVRL device to determine its effectiveness in providing temporary relief for chronic jaw pain caused by temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders. This clinical study focuses on nociceptive musculoskeletal pain arising from TMJ and aims to measure changes in pain levels and jaw function. The study compares the Erchonia4 EVRL, a handheld device with red and violet laser diodes, to a placebo device that looks identical but emits no therapeutic light. Treatments involve positioning the device 3 to 4 inches from the skin over the TMJ area, applying laser therapy for 16 minutes total, with 8 minutes on each side. Participants are randomly assigned to receive either the active device or placebo in a triple-blind design. Participants will undergo assessments of pain using a visual analog scale (VAS) and mouth opening measurements before and immediately after treatment. The primary outcome is the number of participants achieving a 30% or greater reduction in pain rating. The study includes adults aged 22 to 75 with ongoing jaw pain lasting at least three months. Safety and effectiveness will be monitored throughout the trial, which runs until December 2027.

Researchers are studying whether a home-based virtual reality (VR) neurofeedback program is feasible and acceptable for adolescents aged 10 to 16 years with migraine. This trial aims to see if teenagers can be successfully enrolled, randomized, and retained while completing VR sessions and study procedures, and whether the program might improve migraine-related disability and symptoms. The study compares Immersive Neurofeedback Self-Regulation Training (INSeRT), which uses brain activity recorded from a wearable EEG headband, with a VR program that shows immersive imagery without neurofeedback or relaxation training. Participants complete a 4-week baseline period involving headache logs, questionnaires, and a lab EEG assessment. Then they are randomly assigned to either the INSeRT neurofeedback VR or the comparison VR imagery program. Both groups do VR sessions at home three times a week, each lasting about 8 minutes, over 4 weeks. Questionnaires and a repeat EEG assessment are done after treatment and again approximately 3 months later. During the study, participants log headaches, complete questionnaires, and undergo EEG brain activity tests to measure changes. Researchers track recruitment, randomization, treatment adherence, retention, and symptom changes. Outcomes include the number and duration of VR sessions completed, treatment credibility, cybersickness symptoms, and migraine disability scores. Participants are followed for about 3 months after treatment to assess longer-term effects and safety.

Researchers are evaluating the effects of a non-invasive acupuncture-like method called transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation at acupoints (Acu-TENS) combined with a sleep hygiene program (SHP) on sleep quality, motor function, cognition, and quality of life in older adults who have had a stroke and suffer from chronic insomnia. This single-blind, randomized controlled trial includes participants aged 55 to 85 years with a diagnosis of stroke lasting more than one year and self-reported poor sleep quality. The study aims to provide high-quality data on the effectiveness of Acu-TENS for treating post-stroke sleep disorders and related dysfunctions. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: the treatment group receiving Acu-TENS plus SHP or the placebo group receiving sham Acu-TENS plus SHP. The Acu-TENS treatment involves placing electrodes on six bilateral acupoints on the arms and lower limbs, delivering mild electrical stimulation twice a week for six weeks, with each session lasting 30 minutes. Both groups receive the sleep hygiene program, which includes guidance on healthy sleeping habits. The placebo group uses identical devices with the electrical circuit disconnected. Throughout the study, participants will undergo assessments at baseline, mid-treatment (three weeks), post-treatment (six weeks), and follow-up (two weeks after treatment ends). These assessments measure sleep quality using both devices and self-reported surveys, motor function through physical performance tests, cognitive function via computer-based tests, and quality of life through surveys. Safety and treatment adherence will be monitored, with careful observation of participant progress during and after the treatment period, which lasts a total of eight weeks including follow-up.

Migraine is a neurological disorder that causes significant disability and affects sensory processing, musculoskeletal function, and psychosocial health. Researchers are evaluating how combining supervised aerobic exercise with pain neuroscience education compares to general physical activity recommendations in women aged 18 to 48 diagnosed with migraine. The study aims to better understand the effects on sensory perception, musculoskeletal changes, and migraine-related symptoms. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. The intervention group will attend a single pain neuroscience education session followed by supervised aerobic exercise on a treadmill three times a week for 16 weeks, with exercise intensity tailored to each person's heart rate reserve. The control group will receive guidance to increase physical activity independently at home, aiming for 10,000 steps daily or at least 150 minutes weekly, without supervision or structured education during the same 16-week period. Participants will undergo assessments before and after the 16-week intervention, including migraine-related disability, sensory sensitivity, self-reported symptoms, quality of life, psychosocial factors, and musculoskeletal function using questionnaires and physical tests. A follow-up at six months will collect self-reported outcomes. Researchers will monitor adherence, and the findings may help develop accessible, low-risk non-drug treatment options for migraine.

Researchers are investigating how smartphone addiction affects neck posture, muscle function, balance, and tongue pressure in people with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS). The study compares these individuals with a healthy control group to understand the added impact of smartphone use on posture and function beyond the effects of these diseases. Only patients with stable disease activity are included to focus on biomechanical effects without interference from active inflammation. The study involves three groups of 37 participants each: those with RA, those with AS, and healthy controls. Each participant will undergo a single session of assessments that include questionnaires on smartphone use and neck disability, measurements of neck posture (craniovertebral angle), neck muscle strength, balance tests, pressure pain thresholds, and tongue pressure. These evaluations are conducted in a specific order by a physiotherapist without any treatment or follow-up. Participants will provide information about their health, habits, and smartphone use, followed by physical tests measuring posture, muscle strength, balance, pain sensitivity, and tongue function. The main outcome measured is smartphone addiction level, with additional assessments of neck disability and physical function. Data will be analyzed to explore relationships between smartphone addiction and physical parameters across the three groups. The study aims to complete these assessments in one visit, focusing on understanding how technology use affects physical health in RA and AS.

Researchers are evaluating a behavioral intervention to reduce chronic headaches in children aged 8 to 15 years. The study aims to assess how using virtual reality combined with biofeedback can help children learn relaxation techniques like deep breathing, improve their confidence in managing pain, and reduce headache frequency and intensity. The study also compares this approach to similar relaxation training without virtual reality and to a control group receiving only psychoeducation. Participants are randomly assigned to one of three groups: relaxation training with virtual reality and biofeedback, relaxation training with biofeedback alone, or a control group receiving psychoeducation through video modules at home. The interventions last for 8 weeks with sessions including psychoeducation, relaxation training, and homework exercises to reinforce skills. Throughout the study, researchers will monitor headache frequency and intensity, self-efficacy, pain coping strategies, and satisfaction with the intervention at the start, immediately after the 8-week program, and two months later for intervention groups. Additional assessments include daily diaries during treatment, pain perceptions, functional disability, and questionnaires about the virtual reality experience. The total participation involves these assessments and follow-ups over several months.

Researchers are evaluating the effectiveness of corticosteroids for treating acute post-concussion headaches. This study aims to determine if corticosteroids can reduce headache frequency and intensity more than the current standard care. It also explores whether corticosteroid use can lessen other symptoms like vestibular issues, helping patients return sooner to school, work, or sports. This novel pilot project focuses on patients with post-concussion headaches, a condition lacking established treatment guidelines despite its high prevalence and associated disabling symptoms such as depression and sleep problems. Participants will receive a Methylprednisolone dose pack, a corticosteroid medication tapered over seven days with a specific daily dosing schedule starting at 24 mg on day one and decreasing to zero by day seven. The treatment is taken orally following detailed instructions. The study does not mention a placebo or comparator group, focusing instead on evaluating this medication's impact on post-concussion headaches during the treatment period. During the study, participants will be monitored over 12 weeks to assess changes in headache symptoms, overall post-concussion symptoms, quality of life through health questionnaires, and other medication use with pain tracking diaries. The primary outcome is the change in headaches one week after treatment starts. Secondary outcomes include symptom scores and quality of life measures at 12 weeks. Participants' adherence to the medication regimen and symptom changes will be carefully observed to understand corticosteroids' role in managing post-concussion headaches.

Researchers are evaluating the use of nerve block injections in the pterygopalatine fossa (PPF) to manage headaches in people who have survived aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). This phase II, multicenter, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial compares active PPF nerve blocks containing ropivacaine and dexamethasone to placebo saline injections. The study also monitors blood flow in brain arteries using transcranial Doppler during the treatment periods to assess safety and effects. Participants are randomly assigned to one of three groups: one receiving active PPF nerve blocks in both stages, one receiving placebo injections followed by active blocks, and one receiving placebo injections in both stages. Each active injection contains 20mg ropivacaine plus 4mg dexamethasone, while placebo injections consist of saline. The treatment phase spans 48 hours with two injection stages, followed by assessments for safety and tolerability. During the study, participants provide pain scale scores and undergo monitoring of intracranial artery flow velocities with transcranial Doppler. Researchers evaluate pain relief within 24 hours after each injection and monitor safety up to 48 hours from the first injection. Participants must be available for the study duration and comply with procedures, which include neurological assessments and tracking of headache symptoms. This trial seeks to better understand the potential of PPF nerve blocks as an opioid-sparing treatment for acute headache after SAH.

Headaches, including migraines and tension-type headaches, can greatly affect quality of life. Research suggests that blood pressure control and baroreceptor function may influence headache symptoms. An initial open-label pilot study with 17 participants showed that carotid sinus massage combined with the modified Trendelenburg position was feasible and safe, prompting a follow-up randomized trial to further study this treatment's effects. In the randomized phase, participants will be divided into two groups. One group will receive carotid sinus massage while lying in a 10-15° head-down Trendelenburg position, with massages lasting about 5 seconds and repeated up to three times at one-minute intervals. The control group will receive a sham massage that lightly touches the neck away from the carotid sinus but mimics the timing and positioning of the treatment group. Participants who do not experience relief after the sham will be offered rescue therapy, including the real treatment or medication as appropriate. Participants will have their headache pain intensity, blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen levels measured before and 15 minutes after the intervention. Researchers will also track the rate of complete pain relief at 15 minutes, headache recurrence within 24 hours, and any adverse events up to 24 hours after treatment. The study plans to enroll 18 participants and will monitor outcomes closely to assess the treatment's potential benefits and safety.

Researchers are collecting data from patients aged 4 to 99 years who experience various headache types, vertigo, and chronic pain conditions like fibromyalgia. This observational study aims to investigate the biological markers, imaging features, heart-lung right-to-left shunts, genetic traits, treatments, and outcomes related to these headache and vertigo disorders. Long-term follow-up is planned to better understand these conditions over time. Participants include groups with migraine (including vestibular migraine), other primary headache disorders such as tension-type and cluster headaches, other vertigo disorders, secondary headache disorders, and a control group without headache or vertigo. The study gathers real-world treatment data and evaluates multiple clinical and biological characteristics to support comprehensive analysis. During the study, participants will undergo various assessments including biomarker collection, imaging, genetic analysis, and detailed clinical evaluations. Researchers will track outcomes such as migraine and headache days, vertigo attacks, headache severity, medication use, patient quality of life, and safety measures over periods ranging from six months to as long as 30 years. Data accuracy and participant privacy are closely maintained throughout the study.