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Efficacy of regular sauna bathing for chronic tension-type headache: a randomized controlled study
Giresh Kanji1, Mark Weatherall, Raja Peter
11 Musculoskeletal Pain Specialist, Wellington Pain and Headache Clinic, Southern Cross Hospital , Wellington, New Zealand .
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (New York, N.Y.)
|January 31, 2015
Summary
Regular sauna bathing effectively reduces headache pain intensity for chronic tension-type headache (CTTH) sufferers. This simple, self-directed treatment offers a new therapeutic option for managing CTTH pain.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Background:
- Chronic tension-type headache (CTTH) is a prevalent condition causing significant pain and disability.
- Current treatments for CTTH may have limitations or side effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate sauna bathing as a novel, non-pharmacological intervention for CTTH.
- To assess the impact of regular sauna use on headache pain intensity and related symptoms in CTTH patients.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 37 CTTH patients.
- Intervention group received standard advice plus regular sauna bathing for 8 weeks; control group received only advice.
- Pain intensity was measured using the Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS).
Main Results:
- Sauna bathing significantly reduced headache pain intensity compared to the control group (mean difference 1.27).
- No significant improvements were observed in headache duration, sleep disturbance, depression (BDI), or Headache Disability Index (HDI).
Conclusions:
- Regular sauna bathing is a viable and effective self-directed treatment for decreasing pain intensity in CTTH.
- While effective for pain intensity, sauna bathing did not significantly impact other measured CTTH-related symptoms in this study.
