A nerve conduction test was also performed at start and finish of study. This involved stimulation of median sensory nerves through electrodes placed on each subject's index finger and wrist. Peak sensory latencies were recorded to test for nerve compression at carpal tunnel. Median peak latency was primary outcome measure.

Assessments were also made before and after massage sessions on first and last days of study, including Perceived Grip Strength Scale; VITAS, a pain assessment using a visual analogue scale; state anxiety inventory; and Profile of Mood States.

Results of study showed that subjects in massage group had significantly less pain and reduced carpal tunnel symptoms, as well as shorter median peak latencies and increased grip strength.

"Functional activity also improved as noted in reduced pain and increased grip strength in massage therapy group, both immediately after first and last massage therapy sessions and by end of study," state study's authors. "Finally, massage therapy group reported lower anxiety and depressed mood levels both immediately after first and last sessions and by end of study."

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The pressure was maintained until referral pain ceased, or for a maximum of two minutes, then slowly eased to produce a vascular flushing. In a typical session, six active trigger points were treated, and procedure was repeated three-to-five times on each point.

Every night before bed participants completed a headache diary form, recording number of headaches, intensity of most severe headache, and duration of longest headache.

Each subject experienced a reduction in headaches within first week of massage treatment, and mean number of headaches per week was significantly reduced from 6.8 to 2 during four weeks of massage.

"Because our therapeutic massage protocol specifically addressed trigger-point activity, we believe that reduction in activity of these regions by massage was a major contributor to observed beneficial effects on tension headache," state study's authors.

Although duration of headache decreased for all four subjects, decrease was not statistically significant, and there was no significant change in headache intensity.

"The findings suggest that a larger, more complete study that includes a proper control group is warranted," state study's authors.

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