November 30, 2006 – Osteopathic Treatments May Reduce Frequency of Tension Headaches, But Not Their Intensity, Recently Published Study by Canadian Scientists Finds1.
Researchers from the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute and the Canadian College of Osteopathy recruited 29 people with tension headaches who were given relaxation exercises to do daily at home, either alone or in combination with three treatments.2 in osteopathy. These treatments targeted the pelvis, skull, spine, collarbones and upper portion of the ribs.
Experience has shown that subjects who benefited from osteopathic treatments enjoyed significantly more headache-free days than others. The researchers quantify this improvement at 57.5%, compared to just 15.6% for participants who only benefited from relaxation exercises or who served as a control group.
However, the intensity of tension headaches was not less in the osteopathy group.
Manipulations performed in osteopathy seem to improve circulation and relieve joint restrictions. They also reduce the tension of the muscles, fasciae (the membranes that cover muscles and certain organs) and the dura (the membrane that surrounds and protects the brain and spinal cord). “This has a calming effect on the central nervous system, thereby reducing the frequency of tension headaches,” the authors write at the conclusion of their study.
Jean-Benoit Legault – PasseportSanté.net
According to Blackwell Synergy.
1. Anderson R, Seniscal C. A comparison of selected osteopathic treatment and relaxation for tension-type headaches, Headache, 2006 Sep; 46 (8): 1273-80.
2. One treatment per week for three weeks.
