Using of transcutaneous supraorbital nerve stimulation in the treatment of chronic tension type headache

BACKGROUND. The clinical study was carried out as part of the scientific work Non-drug treatment methods and optimization of coping strategies for chronic tension type headache. AIM. To evaluate the effectiveness of the use of transcutaneous neurostimulation of the supratrochlear and supraorbital nerves in patients with chronic tension type headache. MATERIAL AND METHODS. The clinical study was conducted from February to August 2021. In total, 50 patients with chronic tension type headache took part in the study, which were divided into two groups: the main group (40 participants) and the control group (10 participants). In the main group, patients received transcutaneous neurostimulation of the supratrochlear and supraorbital nerves with low-frequency (60 Hz) impulses. In the control group, participants received only drug therapy. One month after the end of the course of treatment, the intensity, frequency of headache, the amount of drugs taken, and the effect of headache on work ability were assessed. Statistical processing was performed in the IBM SPSS program using tests for nonparametric data and tests of signs and Wilcoxon. The results of the data were taken as significant at p 0.05. RESULTS. In the main group, there was a statistically significant (p 0.05) decrease in the frequency of headache episodes by 1.8 times, the number of analgesics consumed by 2.8 times, and the intensity of headache by 50%. We also observed a decrease in the effect of headache on the ability to work of patients from 79 to 47.3%. At the same time, there were patients whose headache did not affect their ability to work. In the control group we did not notice significant dynamics in the frequency of episodes and the intensity of headache. CONCLUSION. In our opinion, non-invasive percutaneous neurostimulation of the supratrochlear and supraorbital nerves is an additional option for preventive treatment in patients with chronic tension type headache.