Tension-type headache with medication overuse: pathophysiology and clinical implications

Tension-Type Headache Management: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis of Complementary and Alternative Medicine

INTRODUCTION

Tension-type headache (TTH) is common but challenging to manage due to limited effectiveness of conventional treatments. This study examines six complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) interventions through network meta-analysis to identify effective TTH management strategies.

METHODS

We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, OVID, CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, and CBM databases for randomized controlled trials on CAM for TTH treatment. Headache frequency and intensity were the primary outcomes. Methodological quality was evaluated on the basis of the Cochrane risk of bias tool. We used R software to conduct this Bayesian network meta-analysis. We used mean difference (MD) with 95% credible intervals (CI) to calculate the continuous outcomes and analyzed the percentages of the surface under the cumulative ranking (SUCRA) curve.

RESULTS

In total, 32 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with 2405 participants were analyzed. For reducing headache intensity, the network meta-analysis shows that acupuncture therapy combined with traditional Chinese medicine (AT_TCM), manual therapy (MT), psychological treatment (PT), and traditional Chinese medicine combined with acupuncture and manual therapy (TCM_AT_MT) are superior to Western medicine (WM). In the SUCRA curve, TCM_AT_MT is the best for reducing headache frequency (HF).

CONCLUSIONS

This review, assessed as low-quality evidence by GRADE, cautiously suggests potential benefits of PT over other CAM interventions for TTH and indicates TCM_AT_MT might better reduce HF. It proposes that combining CAM interventions could enhance outcomes. Due to the preliminary nature of these findings, further high-quality RCTs are essential to confirm these suggestions and provide clearer clinical guidance.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42021252073.

The Assessment of Clinical Characteristics, Treatment Patterns, and Burden of Illness in Patients With Episodic and Chronic Migraine: A Cross-Sectional Study

INTRODUCTION

Migraine is a prevalent and disabling primary headache disorder worldwide, causing significant years lost due to disability (YLD) and impacting various aspects of everyday life. Despite its high prevalence and substantial burden, there is a lack of comprehensive data on clinical patterns and management trends, in places like Tamil Nadu, India. This study aims and also fill gaps by investigating and analyzing the clinical characteristics, treatment patterns, and illness burden among patients with episodic migraine (EM) and chronic migraine (CM) in the state of Tamil Nadu.

STUDY

This cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted at the Department of Neurology, Madras Medical College, Chennai, over a three-month period starting from January 2024 to March 2024. The study included migraine patients aged 18 years and above who met the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD)-3 criteria and took treatment at the department. Data were collected using patient interviews, medical records, and counseling sessions and using a pre-designed questionnaire. Patient demographics, clinical characteristics, symptom prevalence, prescription patterns, and illness burden were analyzed accordingly. The Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) questionnaire was used to measure the burden of illness.

RESULTS

The analysis involved 400 migraine patients, 92.5% of them having EM and 7.5% of them having CM. The mean age of patients was 37.5 years, with a predominance of females (73.5%). Patients with CM had having significantly higher average number of headache days per month when compared to those with EM. Tension-type headache (TTH) and medication-overuse headache (MOH) were more prevalent in those CM patients. Trigger factors include lack of sleep, bright light exposure, and stress. Comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus, obesity, and depression were significantly higher in CM patients. Acute treatment included NSAIDs and Triptans, while preventive therapy was more commonly used in CM patients. The mean MIDAS score was significantly higher in CM patients, which indicates greater disability.

CONCLUSION

The study provides valuable insights into the clinical characteristics, treatment patterns, and burden of illness among migraine patients in Tamil Nadu, India. Significant differences were observed between EM and CM patients, which highlights the need for comprehensive management strategies. Preventive therapy, lifestyle modifications, and comprehensive assessment of disability are all important in addressing the variable needs of migraine patients and also reducing the burden of illness. Further research is necessary to explore additional factors influencing migraine outcomes in this population.

Pharmacogenetics in Primary Headache Disorders

Primary headache disorders, such as migraine, tension-type headache (TTH), and cluster headache, belong to the most common neurological disorders affecting a high percentage of people worldwide. Headache induces a high burden for the affected individuals on the personal level, with a strong impact on life quality, daily life management, and causes immense costs for the healthcare systems. Although a relatively broad spectrum of different pharmacological classes for the treatment of headache disorders are available, treatment effectiveness is often limited by high variances in therapy responses. Genetic variants can influence the individual treatment success by influencing pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamics of the therapeutic as investigated in the research field of pharmacogenetics. This review summarizes the current knowledge on important primary headache disorders, including migraine, TTH, and cluster headache. We also summarize current acute and preventive treatment options for the three headache disorders based on drug classes and compounds taking important therapy guidelines into consideration. Importantly, the work summarizes and discusses the role of genetic polymorphisms regarding their impact on metabolism safety and the effect of therapeutics that are used to treat migraine, cluster headache, and TTH exploring drug classes such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, triptans, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, calcium channel blockers, drugs with effect on the renin-angiotensin system, and novel headache therapeutics such as ditans, anti-calcitonin-gene-related peptide antibodies, and gepants. Genetic variants in important phase I-, II-, and III-associated genes such as cytochrome P450 genes, UGT genes, and different transporter genes are scrutinized as well as variants in genes important for pharmacodynamics and several functions outside the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic spectrum. Finally, the article evaluates the potential and limitations of pharmacogenetic approaches for individual therapy adjustments in headache disorders.

Tension-type headache

Tension-type headache (TTH) is the most prevalent neurological disorder worldwide and is characterized by recurrent headaches of mild to moderate intensity, bilateral location, pressing or tightening quality, and no aggravation by routine physical activity. Diagnosis is based on headache history and the exclusion of alternative diagnoses, with clinical criteria provided by the International Classification of Headache Disorders, third edition. Although the biological underpinnings remain unresolved, it seems likely that peripheral mechanisms are responsible for the genesis of pain in TTH, whereas central sensitization may be involved in transformation from episodic to chronic TTH. Pharmacological therapy is the mainstay of clinical management and can be divided into acute and preventive treatments. Simple analgesics have evidence-based effectiveness and are widely regarded as first-line medications for the acute treatment of TTH. Preventive treatment should be considered in individuals with frequent episodic and chronic TTH, and if simple analgesics are ineffective, poorly tolerated or contraindicated. Recommended preventive treatments include amitriptyline, venlafaxine and mirtazapine, as well as some selected non-pharmacological therapies. Despite the widespread prevalence and associated disability of TTH, little progress has been made since the early 2000s owing to a lack of attention and resource allocation by scientists, funding bodies and the pharmaceutical industry.

Migraine and Tension-Type Headache: Diagnosis and Treatment

Migraine and tension-type headache are highly prevalent. Migraine is associated with significant work- and family-related disability. Migraine is underdiagnosed; it reasonable to err on the side of migraine when choosing between primary headaches. Barriers to appropriate treatment of migraine include lack of access to providers, misdiagnosis, and acute and preventive therapies not being prescribed. Acute, rescue, and preventive treatment options are extensive, and new classes of treatments are either available or in development. This review addresses diagnostic challenges including recognizing migraine with aura. It also summarizes nonpharmacologic, acute, rescue, and preventive treatment options for migraine and treatment of tension-type headache.

Primary Headache Disorders- Part 2: Tension-type headache and medication overuse headache

In Part 2 of Primary Headache disorders, we discuss the fourth Primary Headache Disorder, Tension-Type Headache (TTHA). We are again using the ICHD-III (Beta) definitions of such headaches, taking into consideration episodic and chronic TTHA, as well as the presence or absence of pericranial muscle tenderness. We discuss the pathophysiology and pharmacotherapeutic treatment of TTHA, and the aspects of the Myofascial Pain Syndrome that enhance and help the development of TTHA. We then discuss Medication Overuse Headache (MOH), itself a Secondary headache disorder, but one that is extremely important as it assists with the chronification of both migraine and TTHA. Finally we discuss how to manage and treat those patients with MOH. Chronic migraine, which is TTHA, Migraine as well as, in many patients, MOH, is discussed along with the treatment of this multifaceted disorder.

[Peppermint oil in the acute treatment of tension-type headache]

Tension-type headache is the most frequent form of headache. The local topical treatment with peppermint oil (oleum menthae piperitae) has proven to be significantly more effective than placebo in controlled studies. Peppermint oil targets headache pathophysiology in multiple ways. The efficacy is comparable to that of acetylsalicylic acid or paracetamol. Solutions of 10 % peppermint oil in ethanol are licensed for the treatment of tension-type headache in adults and children above 6 years. It is included in treatment recommendations and guidelines by the respective professional societies and is regarded as a standard treatment for the acute therapy of tension-type headaches.

Changes in anxiety and depression symptoms associated to the outcome of MOH: A post-hoc analysis of the Comoestas Project

Aims

To evaluate the impact of treatment success on depression and anxiety symptoms in medication-overuse headache (MOH) and whether depression and anxiety can be predictors of treatment outcome.

Methods

All consecutive patients entering the detoxification program were analysed in a prospective, non-randomised fashion over a six-month period. Depression and anxiety were assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.

Results

A total of 663 MOH patients were evaluated, and 492 completed the entire protocol. Of these, 287 ceased overuse and reverted to an episodic pattern (responders) and 23 relapsed into overuse. At the final evaluation, the number of patients with depressive symptoms was reduced by 63.2% among responders ( p < 0.001) and did not change in relapsers ( p = 0.13). Anxious symptomatology was reduced by 43.1% in responders ( ps < 0.001) and did not change in relapsers ( p = 0.69). At the multivariate analysis, intake of a prophylactic drug and absence of symptoms of depression at six months emerged as prognostic factors for being a responder (OR 2.406; p = 0.002 and OR 1.989; p = 0.019 respectively), while lack of antidepressant drugs and presence of symptoms of depression at six months were prognostic factors for relapse into overuse (OR 3.745; p = 0.004 and OR 3.439; p = 0.031 respectively).

Conclusions

Symptomatology referred to affective state and anxiety can be significantly reduced by the treatment of MOH. Baseline levels of depression and anxiety do not generally predict the outcome at six months. Their persistence may represent a trait of patients with a negative outcome, rather than the consequence of a treatment failure.

Multimodal Physiotherapy Based on a Biobehavioral Approach as a Treatment for Chronic Tension-Type Headache: A Case Report

INTRODUCTION

Tension-type headache (TTH) is the most common primary headache affecting the general population, which is characterized by bilateral headache and mild to moderate pain. This disorder causes high levels of disability and recent scientific evidence suggests that manual therapy (MT) and therapeutic exercise are effective in reducing medication intake and decreasing the frequency and intensity of headaches in patients with TTH.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 34-year-old woman was known to have chronic TTH. Initially, the patient presented moderate headaches 5 days per week, mechanical neck pain and no positive response to analgesics. A battery of self-reports was given to the patient to assess disability (using the Spanish versions of the Headache Impact Test-6 and the neck disability index), pain (visual analogue scale) and psychosocial issues (Spanish version of the pain catastrophizing scale) involved in the headaches. All measurements were taken four times during 161 days. Eleven sessions of treatment including MT, motor control therapeutic exercise (MCTE) and therapeutic patient education (TPE) were applied.

CONCLUSIONS

This biobehavioral-based multimodal physical rehabilitation treatment combining MT, TPE and MCTE produced a substantial reduction in pain intensity, pain catastrophizing, disability and the impact of headaches on patient's life.