Single-blind, randomized, pilot study combining shiatsu and amitriptyline in refractory primary headaches

Villani V, Prosperini L, Palombini F, Orzi F, Sette G. · Neurological Sciences · 2017 June

Objective

To test the efficacy and safety of combining shiatsu and amitriptyline to treat refractory primary headaches in a single-blind, randomized, pilot study

Conclusions

Shiatsu proved to have efficacy in reducing headache for patients on anti-depressants. Patients who received shiatsu had more than 50% reduction in days with headache per month. Compared to patients who had shiatsu or amitriptyline (anit-depressant drug) alone.

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Insights

Shiatsu is a safe and potentially useful alternative approach for refractory headache.

Although all the three groups improved in terms of headache frequency, visual analogue scale score, and number of pain killers, there was no between-group difference in primary endpoint. Shiatsu (alone or in combination) was superior to amitriptyline in reducing the number of pain killers taken per month. Seven (19%) subjects reported adverse events, all attributable to amitriptyline, while no side effects were related with shiatsu treatment. Shiatsu is a safe and potentially useful alternative approach for refractory headache. However, there is no evidence of an additive or synergistic effect of combining shiatsu and amitriptyline. These findings are only preliminary and should be interpreted cautiously due to the small sample size of the population included in our study.