After switching to alternative methods of treatment, namely exercise, 47% of subjects who did not respond to relaxation procedures, experienced a significant reduction in headaches. Thus, exercise can be used as an effective additional method of treating patients with incomplete effects of traditional non-drug treatment.
It is known that the tension of the chewing muscles can increase the severity of headaches. Effective methods for reducing muscle tension are relaxation training technology, exercise and wearing corrective plates in the mouth. The latter method has been shown to be effective in patients with primary headaches, such as migraine.
In 19 patients suffering from migraine and using a corrective tire at night, the frequency of attacks decreased to 40%. The use of the method of nociceptive trigeminal inhibition (NTI) is approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a means of prophylactic treatment of migraine. The method consists in fixing the acrylic plates on the incisors, which reduces the compression of the lower jaw.
In the course of a randomized study, patients suffering from migraine and pericranial muscle tension were treated with a corrective splint or using NTI, which were used for 2 months at night and during stress. As in the previous study, 8 weeks later, the frequency of migraine in patients of the first group decreased to 38%. The condition of patients in the second group improved to a greater degree: the frequency of migraine attacks decreased to 62%. Thus, the use of devices that correct the dysfunction of the facial muscles can be recommended for patients suffering from primary headache with pericranial muscle tension.
To relieve headaches, massage of the temples, head and neck is often recommended. Despite the meager amount of data, massage is recognized to be quite effective in the treatment of migraine and tension headaches. Massage can not be recommended as monotherapy, but in combination with other methods can provide significant benefits of treatment.