Effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy on reduction of chronic tension headache

ABSTRACT

The International Headache Society [HIS] has defined chronic tension type headache in adult patients as attacks of headache that occurs at least 15 days per month over a period of at least 6 months. Drugs do not adequately benefit many headache sufferers. The aim of present research was to examine the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy for reduction of headaches in patients with chronic tension headaches. The target population of this clinical trial study was consisted of 38 women with chronic tension type headache who were referred to psychiatry or neurology clinics in Kashan city. Patients were randomly selected and were divided into case [drug plus cognitive behavioral therapy, n=18] and control [drug alone, n=20] groups. Subjects were asked to complete the headache diary for one week before and after intervention. The collected data was analyzed with analysis of covariance [ANCOVA] by SPSS. An analysis of covariance showed significant differences between experimental and control groups in the frequency [P<0.01], intensity [P<0.05] and duration [P<0.001] of headache attacks. Drug therapy plus cognitive-behavioral therapy was found to be more effective in reducing of headache than the drug therapy alone. Therefore; it is highly recommended that cognitive-behavioral therapy be added to drug therapy in treatment protocol of patients with chronic tension type headache