Chiropractic Management of Episodic Tension-Type Headache: A Survey of Clinical Specialists

McDermaid C, Vernon HJournal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association 1998 Dec;42(4): 209-15

Tension-type headache (TTH) is a highly prevalent condition experienced annually by 30-70% of the population. As a chief complaint, it occupies 5-8% of chiropractors’ caseloads, but is probably more prevalent in multiple complaint cases. While numerous clinical descriptions exist in the literature of the management of TTH by chiropractors, and while there is a small body of clinical trials of the treatment of non-migrainous headache by spinal manipulation, there is no systematic survey of the approaches to its treatment by chiropractors. The goals of this study were to determine the test-retest reliability of a questionnaire designed to identify the most commonly used treatments for TTH and to report on any consistent findings as a potential profile of typical practice approach. The respondents consisted of a group of Canadian chiropractic clinical specialists. Respondents were asked to complete a survey which consisted of a comprehensive list of chiropractic treatment procedures including standard manual manipulations and mobilisations, soft tissue therapies, modalities, exercises, behavioral therapies, acupuncture, nutrition and four “systems” techniques. The respondents were asked to rate their frequency of use of these procedures on a 4-point scale ranging from “always” to “never”. The surveys were completed twice within a two day interval. The response rate was 18/25 (72%). Eighty-seven percent (87%) of the items were rated identically on both surveys. All but one of the items achieved a statistically significant reliability coefficient. The highest rated items were “upper cervical manipulations”, “upper cervical soft tissue therapy” and “neck stretching exercises”. The items which received the lowest endorsement were: chiropractic procedures to the dorso-lumbo-pelvic spine, most therapy modalities and the “systems” techniques which were included in the survey. Years in practice appeared to have very little effect on the use of the various procedures. With very minor exceptions, this group of respondents provided reliable and consistent responses which were also consistent with the clinical trial literature on the treatment of headache by spinal manipulation. We interpret this to indicate that the survey instrument has an acceptable level of reliability and validity for use in any larger study of field practitioners’ approaches to the treatment of TTH. The set of procedures endorsed by this group of specialists is presented as a possible set of “best-evidence practices” in the chiropractic management of tension-type headache.

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