Evaluating manual therapy and exercise for headache pain relief

Evaluation of the Efficacy of Manual Therapy, Therapeutic Exercise and the Two Modalities Combined in Pain Reduction in Patients Suffering From Cervicogenic Headache, or Primary Headache (Tension-type Headache, Migraine, Trigeminal Autonomic Headache)

NA · Campus Bio-Medico University · NCT05990153

This study is testing three different non-drug treatments for people with various types of headaches to see which one helps reduce headache pain and frequency the most.

Quick facts

PhaseNA
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment100 (estimated)
Ages18 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorCampus Bio-Medico University (other)
Locations1 site (Roma, RM)
Trial IDNCT05990153 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This study evaluates the effectiveness of three non-pharmacological treatment methods for patients suffering from various types of primary headaches, including tension-type headaches, trigeminal autonomic headaches, and migraines. Participants will be assigned to one of three intervention groups: therapeutic exercise, myofascial release combined with therapeutic exercise, or Mulligan's manual therapy combined with therapeutic exercise. The study will assess the reduction in headache episodes, pain intensity, and duration over a series of evaluations conducted before treatment, immediately after treatment, and at three and six months post-treatment. The control group will receive standard pharmacological treatment and may later switch to one of the intervention groups if desired.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates include adults over 18 years old who experience primary headaches or cervicogenic headaches.

Not a fit: Patients with upper cervical spine instability, cervical arterial insufficiency, cervical spine fractures, pregnancies, rheumatoid arthritis, or severe cognitive impairment may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this study could provide effective non-drug treatment options for patients suffering from chronic headaches.

How similar studies have performed: Other studies have shown promising results with non-pharmacological approaches for headache management, indicating potential success for this study's methodology.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Patients suffering from primary headache or cervicogenic headache;
* Age \> 18 years;
* signature of the informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

* upper cervical spine instability;
* cervical arterial insufficiency
* cervical spine fractures
* pregnancies
* rheumatoid arthritis
* severe cognitive impairment

Where this trial is running

Roma, RM

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.

View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Conditions: Headache, headache, rehabilitation, manual therapy, exercise

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.