Personalized pulsed radiofrequency treatment of the greater occipital nerve for medication overuse headache
Official title: Individualized Application of Occipital Nerve Pulsed Radiofrequency in Medication Overuse Headache: A Randomized Controlled Evaluation
Run by Ankara City Hospital Bilkent · NCT07360782 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This trial will try pulsed radiofrequency applied to the greater occipital nerve, given either early or after an initial month of standard care, to see if it reduces monthly headache days in adults with medication overuse headache.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years to 65 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 90 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Ankara City Hospital Bilkent Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Ankara) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | January 26, 2026 |
| Main results expected | December 2026 |
| Study ends | August 2027 |
| Registry record updated | January 27, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07360782 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults aged 18–65 with medication overuse headache per ICHD-3 who can give informed consent, are not pregnant, and have no active infection or bleeding disorder are candidates for the study.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with recent changes in preventive headache medications, severe systemic disease, psychiatric disorders or current antidepressant use, substance abuse, pregnancy or breastfeeding, anatomical alteration from prior craniocervical surgery, or other exclusion criteria are not eligible and unlikely to benefit from the intervention.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This single-center, prospective, adaptive randomized controlled trial at Ankara Bilkent City Hospital compares standard care to greater occipital nerve pulsed radiofrequency (GONPRF) in adults with medication overuse headache. Participants are randomized 2:1 to receive standard treatment alone or primary GONPRF plus standard care, and patients who do not improve after one month on standard care may receive delayed (modified) GONPRF. Outcomes include monthly headache days, headache intensity, days requiring acute medication, HIT-6, and global perceived effect, recorded by headache diaries and clinic visits over a six-month follow-up. The two-stage adaptive design allows early switching for nonresponders and aims to determine whether early or delayed GONPRF shortens the time to clinically meaningful headache reduction.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If effective, GONPRF could reduce monthly headache days more rapidly and help patients stop overusing acute medications, lowering disability and medication-related harms.
How similar studies have gone: Occipital nerve blocks have shown some benefit for headache disorders, but randomized trials of pulsed radiofrequency (GONPRF) specifically for medication overuse headache are lacking, so this approach is relatively novel in this population.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria * Age 18-65 years * Diagnosed with Medication Overuse Headache (MOH) according to ICHD-3 criteria * No laboratory evidence of bleeding or clotting disorders * No active infection * Not pregnant and no suspicion of pregnancy * No history of craniocervical surgery that may alter anatomical structures at the intervention site * Able to understand the study procedures, provide written informed consent, and comply with treatment Exclusion Criteria * Changes in preventive treatment for migraine and/or tension-type headache within the last 3 months * Severe systemic disease (e.g., uncontrolled diabetes, serious cardiovascular disease, malignancy) * Psychiatric disorders (including current antidepressant use or psychiatric follow-up) * History of alcohol or substance abuse * Pregnancy, breastfeeding, or plans for pregnancy in the next 12 months * Concurrent use of other prophylactic headache treatments
Where it's running
-
Ankara Bilkent City Hospital
Ankara, Turkey (Türkiye) Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Şükriye Dadalı, MD
- Email: sukriyedadali@gmail.com
- Phone: +905333316636
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
Greater Occipital Nerve Block for Migraine with Medication Overuse Headache
This study will test whether a nerve block using lidocaine and methylprednisolone can help people with migraine who overuse medications to reduce withdrawal headaches during detoxification.
-
i-NEED: New migraine drugs database
This project will collect real-life data to see how new migraine treatments—anti‑CGRP antibodies, gepants, ditans, and a sumatriptan‑naproxen combo—work and how well adults with episodic or chronic migraine tolerate them.
-
Electroacupuncture to reduce medication-overuse headache and explore effects on the central nervous system
This trial will test whether electroacupuncture can lower the number of headache days and reduce medication use in people with medication-overuse headache.
-
China Headache Disorders Registry (CHAIRS) for People with Migraine and Other Primary Headaches
This project will collect clinical, imaging, biomarker, genetic, and treatment outcome data from people aged 12 and older with primary headache disorders, including migraine and medication‑overuse headache, to see if patterns predict outcomes and guide care.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.