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Systematic review of randomized clinical trials of complementary/alternative therapies in the treatment of tension-type and cervicogenic headache

1999; Elsevier BV; Volume: 7; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/s0965-2299(99)80122-8

1873-6963

Cameron McDermaid, Carol Hagino, Howard Vernon,

Musculoskeletal pain and rehabilitation

To conduct a systematic review of the randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) of complementary/alternative (CAM) therapies in the treatment of non-migrainous headache (i.e. excluding migraine, cluster and organic headaches). Systematic review with quality scoring and evidence tables. Main outcome measures: Number of RCTs per therapy, quality scores, evidence tables. Twenty-four RCTs were identified in the categories of acupuncture, spinal manipulation, electrotherapy, physiotherapy, homeopathy and other therapies. Headache categories included tension-type (under various names pre-1988), cervicogenic and post-traumatic. Quality scores for the RCT reports ranged from approximately 30 to 80 on a 100 point scale. RCTs for CAM therapies of the treatment of non-migrainous headache exist in the literature and demonstrate that clinical experimental studies of these forms of headache can be conducted. Evidence from a sub-set of high quality studies indicates that some CAM therapies may be useful in the treatment of these common forms of headache.