title: Effects of Thai traditional massage on pressure pain threshold and headache intensity in patients with chronic tension-type and migraine headaches.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of Thai traditional massage (TTM) on pressure pain threshold (PPT) and headache intensity in patients with chronic tension-type and migraine headaches.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized controlled trial of TTM compared with the sham ultrasound (nine sessions each) during a 3-week period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-two participants who had had a headache diagnosis for at least 3 months before the experiment was recruited.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After the treatment and at 3 and 9 weeks of follow-up, the TTM group showed a significant increase in PPT (p<0.01) compared with the sham ultrasound group. PPT values at baseline, after 3 weeks of treatment, and at 3- and 9-week follow-up for the TTM group were 2.71 ± 1.22, 3.57 ± 1.41, 3.72 ± 1.46, and 3.42 ± 1.46 pounds/cm(2), respectively; values in the sham ultrasound group were 2.85 ± 1.20, 2.62 ± 1.07, 2.58 ± 1.05 and 2.63 ± 0.94 pounds/cm(2). In both groups, headache intensity decreased significantly (p<0.05) at every end point of the outcome measures, and there were no differences between the groups (p>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TTM could increase PPT and reduce headache intensity, suggesting that this is a possible alternative treatment for chronic headaches.
authors.affiliation: 1 Back, Neck and Other Joint Pain Research Group, Khon Kaen University , Khon Kaen, Thailand .
authors.forename: Uraiwan
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Chatchawan
authors.forename: Wichai
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Eungpinichpong
authors.forename: Suparat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sooktho
authors.forename: Somsak
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tiamkao
authors.forename: Junichiro
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yamauchi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008405:Massage; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000502:physiology*; D018781:Tension-Type Headache / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D055815:Young Adult