Enhancing cognitive-behavioural therapy for recurrent headache by integrating into it a new approach to the management of headache triggers (Learning to Cope with Triggers)

Evaluating the impact of incorporating a learning to cope with triggers compared to avoidance of triggers as part of cognitive behavioural therapy for tension-type headache and migraine sufferers by measuring the primary outcomes of (a) daily headache activity; (b) headache medication usage: (c) the presence of triggers and (d) the impact of headache on daily living.

Status

Recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

ANZCTR

Registry ID

ACTRN12614000435684

Acronym

ENHANCE- Enhanced treatment for headaches

Enrollment

120

Registered

2014-04-29

Start date

2014-05-05

Completion date

2016-01-30

Last updated

2020-01-13

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

None listed

Brief summary

The aim of this research is to investigate a behavioural treatment for the management of headache triggers within a cognitive-behavioural therapy program. The research will compare two variations of trigger management, one being the traditional approach (avoidance of all triggers) and one being a variation of the traditional approach (learning to cope with triggers). The investigators hypothesise that the enhanced approach which assists individuals to manage triggers rather than simply avoid them will have more positive outcomes including reduced headache frequency, reduced use of pain medication and improved quality of life

Interventions

Intervention 1: 12 weekly sessions of cognitive behavioural therapy, relaxation therapy and exposure as an opportunity to practice coping skills or when not possible the use of avoidance of triggers. Each 50 minute session will be administered in an individual format by a registered psychologist. Intervention 2: 12 weekly sessions of cognitive behavioural therapy, relaxation techniques including components on the avoidance of triggers. Each 50 minute session will be administered in an individua

Study design

Allocation

Randomised controlled trial

Intervention model

Parallel

Primary purpose

Treatment

Masking

Blinded (masking used) (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Age

18 Years to 75 Years

Healthy volunteers

Inclusion criteria

i) Diagnosed as either ‘migraine without aura’, ‘typical aura with migraine headache’, ‘chronic migraine’, ‘frequent episodic tension-type headache’, or ‘chronic tension-type headache’; (ii) minimum of 6 headache days per month; (iii) minimum headache chronicity of 12 months, and pattern of headache symptoms stable over last six months

Exclusion criteria

Diagnosed as ‘medication overuse headache’; (ii) headaches present continuously; (iii) recent changes in prophylactic medication (study requires that medication has been stable for previous month) (iv) pregnant, planning pregnancy during trial period or lactating iv) currently receiving psychological or psychiatric treatment.

Outcome results