Supraorbital electrical stimulation in management of chronic type tension headache: A randomized controlled study

Abstract

Background and Purpose: Headache disorders are considered one of the ten most disabling conditions, for both males and females, according to the World Health Organization. Chronic type tension headache (CTTH) has a prevalence of 2-3% within the general population. The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of stimulating noninvasively the trigeminal nerve in the supraorbital area (SOES) for treatment of CTTH. Methods: In an 8-week period of intervention, 45 patients were divided equally into three groups. Both group A “study” and group B received conventional physical therapy program three times a week. Group A received additional SOES for 20 minutes daily. Group C was on prescribed medications only. Assessments occurred pre and post intervention using Headache Impact Test (HIT), headache frequency, and visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain. Results: In between groups, comparison showed statistically significant differences between all groups (p < 0.000). Within-group comparisons showed that both groups A and B showed a significant improvement in all measured data. Improvement percent of group A was HIT = 18.4% and VAS = 63.0%, p ≤ 0.0001, and group B was HIT = 12.5% and VAS = 28.2%, p ≤ 0.0002, while group C showed no significant improvement with improvement percent HIIT = 1.2% and VAS = 8.6%, p ≤ 0.5. Patients in groups A and B reported less headache frequencies than group C. Conclusion: SOES had positive therapeutic results for treatment of CTTH.