DRUG-FREE TREATMENTS OF TENSION HEADACHES IN SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN
Nowadays headaches are common among teenagers and children. This study aimed to assess effectiveness of reflexology, kinesiology taping and myofascial trigger point therapy in children with tension headaches and to compare these treatments with traditional drug-based modalities. The study recruited 37 children (19 boys and 18 girls) aged 9 to 14 years. The main group (n = 25) received 2 series of reflexology treatments separated by a month interval, kinesiology taping and trigger point massage, which was also taught to the patients and their parents. The control group (n = 12) received Ibuprofen and Mydocalm (the daily doses did not exceed 30 mg/kg and 2-4 mg/kg, respectively). Treatment duration in both groups was 4 months. Treatment effectiveness was assessed based on the evolution of patients’ complaints and the impact of headache on children’s daily activities, using the visual analog pain scale and the HIT-6 method, respectively. Within a month, headaches became 1.2 times less frequent and the attacks became 1.2 times shorter in the control group, while in the main group headaches became 2.5 times less frequent and the attacks became twice as short as they had been before Headache intensity did not change significantly in the control group, while in the main group it decreased 1.5 times (p < 0.05). The number of controls who experienced a severe impact of headache on their daily activities decreased 1.2 times after the treatment, while the main group reported no such impact at all. In the main group the number of patients who experienced only a slight impact of headaches on their daily activities increased 4.7 times, from 12 % to 56 %. Our findings demonstrate that drug-free treatments for tension headaches are more effective than drug-based regimens. Moreover, children benefit from drug-free regimens as they are not exposed to the negative effects of analgesics and muscle relaxants.