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Study for Chronic Posttraumatic Headache in Veterans and Service Members

This study is looking at ways to help veterans and active duty service members who experience chronic posttraumatic headaches (headaches that start or get worse after a head or neck injury). It's comparing three approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) given in a clinic, CBT given through telemedicine (TCBT), and continuing with your usual medical care. Researchers want to see if CBT, especially when delivered remotely, can reduce how much headaches impact your daily life. You might be able to join if you are a veteran or active duty service member between 18 and 70 years old, have had a mild or moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI), and your headaches started or worsened within three months of that injury and are still ongoing. The study aims to enroll 525 participants.

Study design
This is an interventional study comparing three different approaches to treating posttraumatic headache. It plans to enroll 525 participants.
What's involved
Participants assigned to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or Telemedicine-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TCBT) will have 8 sessions. Those in the 'Treatment as Usual' group will continue their regular medical care for 8 weeks.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
The main goal of the study is measured from when you start until 3 months later.

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

NCT05620719

Multisite Advancement of Research on Chronic Posttraumatic Headache

Recruiting
NAAges 18–70InterventionalTreatment
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
~525 participants
Updated 2026-06-26 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Posttraumatic HeadacheTreatment as UsualTelemedicine-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TCBT)

At a glance

Recruiting sites
6 of 8 listed sites are recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Change in Headache Impact Test (HIT-6)
Measured over Baseline to 3-month follow-up

Conditions

Posttraumatic Headache

Explore related trials

Posttraumatic headache

Where it's being run

8 sites across 5 states
Texas3
California2
Hawaii1
Maryland1
Minnesota1

Study leadership

  • Donald D McGeary, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

Who to contact

Nicole A Brackins, MS
[email protected]
210-450-8076
Email the study team

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Do you actually qualify for this trial?

Add a private profile and we'll compare every criterion below against your situation — and tell you which ones are met, uncertain, or excluding.

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

Any veteran or active duty service member (DEERS-eligible; age 18 to 70 years) with mild or moderate TBI whose headache began or exacerbated within 3 months of a head or neck injury.
Headache meets ICHD-3 A5.2 criterion for delayed-onset persistent headache attributable to mild or moderate TBI and PTH is ongoing at enrollment (most recent headache within the past 2 weeks).
At least moderate to severe headache-related disability based on a HIT-6 score greater than 50.
Participant is stable on headache medication at baseline assessment (i.e., no changes in medication prescriptions in the past 4 weeks or study physician clinical judgement confirms stability; this includes botulinum toxin injections and devices like Cefaly).
Participant has a phone where they can receive reminders and complete the on-line Headache Diaries.
Participant speaks and reads/understands English well enough to fully participate in the intervention and to reliably complete assessment measures.

Exclusion

Participant reports a significant change in headache symptoms within 4 weeks of screening or has another secondary headache that may account for symptoms.
Participant has medication overuse headache based on Structured Diagnostic Headache Interview-Revised (Brief Version; SDIH-R) and clinical judgment.
Participant has a psychiatric problem that warrants immediate treatment as indicated in the electronic health record, flagged study during testing, or confirmed by a clinician through screening or review of clinical notes.
Participant demonstrates significant cognitive impairment that could impact treatment adherence/benefit.

What this trial measures

  • Change in Headache Impact Test (HIT-6)Baseline to 3-month follow-up

    Headache-disability as measured by the Headache Impact Test. The HIT-6 is a 6-item measure of headache-disability. The measure uses a 5-point Likert scale to rate the frequency that the respondent experiences headache-relate disability across six domains of functioning. Total scores range from 36 to 78 with higher scores representing a higher level of headache-relate disability.