Carotid Sinus Massage in Trendelenburg Position for Headache Relief
Effectiveness of Carotid Sinus Massage in Modified Trendelenburg Position for Acute Headache Episodes: A Pilot Study
Hospital Municipal Pedro T. Orellana
18 participants
Dec 21, 2024
INTERVENTIONAL
Conditions
Summary
Headaches significantly impact patients' quality of life, with tension-type headaches and migraines being among the most prevalent types. There is growing evidence suggesting that blood pressure regulation and baroreceptor activity play a role in headache pathophysiology. Carotid sinus massage (CSM), particularly when combined with the modified Trendelenburg position, may modulate autonomic nervous system activity to relieve headache symptoms. An initial open-label pilot study (n = 17) was completed, and the results were published in a preprint server for health sciences, the Medical Research Archive (medRxiv), demonstrating the feasibility, safety, and promising preliminary efficacy of CSM+T. Based on these findings, a follow-up randomized, sham-controlled, parallel-arm trial will further evaluate the efficacy of the treatment.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria6
- Participants must be at least 16 years of age.
- Must have a diagnosis of one of the following, according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-3):
- Migraine
- Tension-type headache
- Mixed headache
- The headache episode must have started within the past 24 hours.
Exclusion Criteria11
- Any contraindication to carotid sinus massage, including:
- Carotid bruits
- Recent myocardial infarction
- History of stroke
- Known or suspected carotid artery stenosis
- Any contraindication to the Trendelenburg position, including:
- Increased intracranial pressure
- Respiratory distress
- Congestive heart failure
- History of syncope
- History of cardiac arrhythmias
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Interventions
Manual stimulation of the carotid sinus area combined with head-down tilt positioning to activate baroreceptors for headache relief.
Light neck contact, avoiding carotid sinus pressure, paired with identical body positioning to mimic the experimental intervention.
Locations(1)
View Full Details on ClinicalTrials.gov
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NCT06745648