Massage therapy applied to the anterior neck, jaw and cranial muscles in addition to the shoulder, posterior neck and occiput muscles resulted in a significant decrease
in headache frequency, among other benefits, for women diagnosed with chronic
tension type headaches (CTTH), according to a recent case series. THE CASE SERIES, “Remedial Massage Therapy Interventions Including and Excluding Sternocleidomastoid, Scalene, Temporalis, and Masseter Muscles for Chronic Tension Type Headaches: a Case Series,” involved four women diagnosed with CTTH. This is defined as more than 15 headaches per month for more than three months.
For the case series, the four women received six 45-minute massage sessions throughout a three-week intervention period. According to the study’s authors, the massage intervention included “myofascial trigger point release, neuromuscular
therapy and consideration of central sensitization mechanisms present in CTTH.”
Two of the four women were assigned to the exclusion group, where they received massage therapy focused on the shoulder, posterior neck and occiput muscles. The other two women were assigned to the inclusion group, where they received massage
therapy focused on the same muscles with the addition of the sternocleidomastoid, scalene, temporalis and masseter muscles. The main outcome measure in this case series was headache frequency. Secondary outcome measures included headache
intensity and duration. All three of these outcome measures were recorded in a headache diary for one week before the start of the study, throughout the three-week intervention period and for two weeks after the intervention period had ended.
Results of the research showed a reduction in headache frequency and headache disability index scores for all four women two weeks after the intervention period had ended. One of the women from the exclusion group and both women from
the inclusion group recorded a decrease in headache frequency to the point where they were below the diagnostic criteria for CTTH. Overall, the two women in the inclusion group, who received the more wide-ranging massage, showed the greatest decreases in
headache frequency and HDI scores. “Comparative results suggest there may be additional benefit in reducing headache frequency and disability with inclusion of anterior neck, jaw and cranial muscles in treatment strategies of CTTH,” stated the authors. “However, limited sample size makes it difficult to rule out outliers or individual variables. Further investigation is recommended.” M
Authors: Grace Shields and Joanna Smith.
Sources: Therapeutic and Sports Massage Program, Massage
Therapy Department, Southern Institute of Technology, Invercargill,
New Zealand. Originally published in February 2020 in the
International Journal of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, 13(1),
Spirit Massage@ Reiki 