Abstract: Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of amitriptyline with manipulative therapy for episode tension-type headache (ETTH). Methods 62 patients were randomized into 2 groups: amitriptyline group, amitriptyline with manipulative therapy group. Numbers of days with headache(NDH) and days with medication(NDM), intensity of the headache(IH) between the two weeks before randomisation and 1～2, 3～4 weeks after randomization were recorded by participants in headache diaries. Results In the first 2 weeks after treatment, the NDH in amitriptyline group and amitriptyline with manipulative therapy group were (6.00±2.21) d and (4.19±1.70) d respectively (P<0.05), while in the second 2 weeks, they were (4.00±1.86) d and (2.16±1.21) d respectively (P<0.05). The NDM in amitriptyline group and amitriptyline with manipulative therapy group were (1.77±1.23) d and (1.32±1.22) d respectively in the first 2 weeks after treatment (P<0.05), but there was no significantly difference between the two groups in the second 2 weeks. The IH (with Visual Analog Scale) were(3.32±0.94) and (2.39±1.33)respectively (P<0.05) in the second 2 weeks. Conclusion Amitriptyline with manipulative therapy is better than amitriptyline alone in reducing the symptoms of episode tension type headache.

Key words: manipulative therapy, amitriptyline, episode tension type headache