title: Headache (chronic tension-type).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic tension-type headache (CTTH) is a disorder that evolves from episodic tension-type headache, with daily or very frequent episodes of headache lasting minutes to days. It affects 4.1% of the general population in the USA, and is more prevalent in women (up to 65% of cases).
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a systematic review and aimed to answer the following clinical questions: What are the effects of drug treatments for chronic tension-type headache? What are the effects of non-drug treatments for chronic tension-type headache? We searched: Medline, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and other important databases up to March 2007 (Clinical Evidence reviews are updated periodically; please check our website for the most up-to-date version of this review). We included harms alerts from relevant organisations such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found 50 systematic reviews, RCTs, or observational studies that met our inclusion criteria. We performed a GRADE evaluation of the quality of evidence for interventions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this systematic review, we present information relating to the effectiveness and safety of the following interventions: acupuncture; amitriptyline; analgesics; anticonvulsant drugs; benzodiazepines; botulinum toxin; chiropractic and osteopathic manipulations; cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT); Indian head massage; mirtazapine; relaxation and electromyographic biofeedback; selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants (SSRIs); and tricyclic antidepressants (other than amitriptyline).
authors.affiliation: The Walton Centre for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Krishnan
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Silver
mesh_terms: D000639:Amitriptyline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006261:Headache / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D026301:Manipulation, Osteopathic; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018781:Tension-Type Headache / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000639:Amitriptyline; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors