Is temporal muscle treatment useful in episodic tension-type headache?

Tension-type headache is the most common type of headache in the world, often described as a tight band of pressure around the head. Trigger points — tight, sensitive spots in the muscles of the jaw and skull — are thought to contribute to these headaches. This study explores whether treating trigger points in the temporalis muscle (a major jaw muscle) through physiotherapy-based myofascial techniques can reduce headache frequency, improve jaw and neck movement, and lower pain sensitivity. Participants with episodic tension-type headache are assigned to either receive three weekly physiotherapy treatments targeting temporalis trigger points, or a sham placebo treatment. Before and after treatment, researchers measure how much pressure the muscles can tolerate, the range of movement in the neck and jaw, and quality of life scores. This gives a clear picture of whether treating these specific muscle points helps. This study is open to people aged 18 to 80 who have been diagnosed with episodic tension-type headache. People with conditions that would make manual therapy unsafe — such as certain spine or vascular conditions — would not be eligible. Participants should be able to attend three weekly sessions at the study clinic.