ReviewCureus2021
Effectiveness of Manual Therapy and Acupuncture in Tension-Type Headache: A Systematic Review.
Review in Cureus, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 28 citations in OpenAlex.
- Efficacy of different acupuncture-related therapies for tension-type headache: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.Frontiers in neurology · 2024Pooled it
- Acupuncture and related therapies for tension-type headache: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.Frontiers in neurology · 2023Pooled it
- Effect of ischemic compression on myofascial pain syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Chiropractic & manual therapies · 2022Pooled it
- A coordinate-based meta-analysis of acupuncture for chronic pain: Evidence from fMRI studies.Frontiers in neuroscience · 2022Pooled it
- Effect of foot reflexology on chronic pain in Parkinson's disease: A randomized controlled trial.PloS one · 2025Trial
- Observational
- Spinal Posture, Mobility, and Muscle Endurance in Women With Tension-Type Headache: A Case-Control Study.Pain research & management · 2026Article
- Impact of targeted neck and shoulder muscle training on muscular tension in ear surgeons.European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery · 2025Article
- Effects of Manual Acupuncture Versus Sham Acupuncture in patients with Post-Stroke Depression: A Randomized Clinical Trial.Neurology and therapy · 2024Article
- Influence of acupuncture intensity on analgesic effects in AA rat models.Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology · 2024Article
- Decreased Risk of Low Back Pain During Pregnancy Associated With the Use of Orthopedic Manual Therapy: A Nested Case-Control Study.Frontiers in medicine · 2022Article
- Prevalence and Stress Involvement of Myofascial Pain Syndrome Across Cancer Stages: A Multicenter Prospective Observational Study with Exploratory Analyses of Tension-Type Headache, Migraine, and the Armchair Sign.Palliative medicine reportsArticle
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Tension-type headache is one of the most prevalent types of headache. The common presentation is a mild-to-moderate dull aching pain around the temporal region, like a tight band around the forehead, neck, shoulder, and sometimes behind eyes. It can occur at any age but most commonly in the adult female population. The exact underlying mechanism is not clear but muscle tension is one of the main causes, which can be due to stress and anxiety. There are several non-pharmacologic treatment options suggested for tension-type headaches, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, relaxation, biofeedback, acupuncture, exercise, manual therapy, and even some home remedies. This systematic review was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture and manual therapy in tension-type headaches. The literature search was primarily done on PubMed. Eight articles involving 3846 participants showed evidence that acupuncture and manual therapy can be valuable non-pharmacological treatment options for tension-type headaches. Acupuncture was compared to routine care or sham intervention. Acupuncture was not found to be superior to physiotherapy, exercise, and massage therapy. Randomized controlled trials done in various countries showed manual therapy also significantly decreased headache intensity. Manual therapy has an efficacy that equals prophylactic medication and tricyclic antidepressants in treating tension-type headaches. The available data suggests that both acupuncture and manual therapy have beneficial effects on treating symptoms of tension-type headache. However, further clinical trials looking at long-term benefits and risks are needed.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.