Tension-type Headache
Conditions
Brief summary
The aim is to investigate muscle soreness and stiffness in patients with Chronic or Frequent Episodic Tension Type Headache before and after treatment with amitriptyline - and to compare the results with healthy individuals.
Detailed description
The muscle stiffness is measured with ultrasonic shear wave elastography in m. masseter, m. sternocleidomastoid and m. Trapezius. The muscle soreness is measured by palpation of the muscles aided by a so called palpometer.
Interventions
DRUGAmitriptyline
The investigator recruits patients who have already discussed and agreed to the amitriptyline treatment with their physician. The patients start the treatment after the investigator have measured them once.
Sponsors
Danish Headache Center
Study design
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Chronic Tension type headache or frequent episodic tension type headache with at least ten episodes or more per month throughout three months or more. * Pericranial muscle tenderness
Exclusion criteria
* Other primary headache disorder (with the exception of episodic migraine.) * Pregnancy or ongoing breastfeeding * Heart disease that contradicts treatment with amitriptyline * Drug or substance abuse
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Total Tenderness Score | March 2016 to march 2018. Up to 4 months. | The soreness of the muscle is reported by the patient on a scale from 0-3 (0= no pain, 1= mild pain, 2= moderate pain and 3= severe pain) when pressure is applied at eight different locations on both sides of the face and neck (m. masseter, m. frontalis, m. pterygoideus lateralis, m. temporalis, m. sternocleidomastoid, pros. mastoideus, m. trapezius and the insertions of the neck muscles at the base of the scull.) The sum of the individual scores make up the total tenderness. |
| Change in muscle stiffness | March 2016 to march 2018. Up to 4 months. | The stiffness is measured in terms of the speed of the shear waves (meter/second) the higher the speed the stiffer the muscle. |
| Change in Local Tenderness Score | March 2016 to march 2018. Up to 4 months. | Aided by a palpometer a pressure of 160 U is applied to four different locations (m. masseter, m. sternocleidomastoid, the lateral part of m. trapezius and the medial part of the m. trapezius.) At each location the patient report the pain intensity on a scale from 0-10. |
Countries
Denmark
Outcome results
None listed