None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Chronic neck pain sufferers have been found to often suffer from trigger points in neck musculature. Trigger points are bands of hyper-irritable spots in taut muscle, which can cause tenderness, a jump sign, and radiculations of pain. Chronic pain, that greater than 3 months duration, is understood to have significant psychosocial overlay. Very few primary health care therapists have the means to treat this psychosocial overlay and hence reduce associated physical symptoms. Neuro Emotional Technique is a well-established chiropractic intervention which attempts to treat this psychosocial overlay. This study took chronic neck pain sufferers, and measured their presentations of pain on a visual analog scale, and also via a quantified pressure applied to the trigger points with a pressure gauge algometer. The treatment group then received one NET treatment, whilst the control received a SHAM treatment. They both presented 3 days later to see if their symptoms had changed in severity. The primary purpose was to see if NET consultation had a short term effect of the severity of trigger points in neck musculature. The null hypothesis was that NET would not cause a reduction in pain sensitivity in trigger points as measured by pressure algometry.
Interventions
Intervention: Patients were given a Neuro Emotional Technique (NET) intervention. NET is a mind-body based chiropractic intervention, that utilises muscle testing, semantics and chinese element theory to determine a neuro emotional complex (NEC). A neuroemotional complex is said to be associated with many pain syndromes. The NEC's are assessed through referential statements, through the use of muscle testing. The intervention is created by applying a mechanical mobilisation device (activator) to
Intervention: Patients were given a Neuro Emotional Technique (NET) intervention. NET is a mind-body based chiropractic intervention, that utilises muscle testing, semantics and chinese element theory to determine a neuro emotional complex (NEC). A neuroemotional complex is said to be associated with many pain syndromes. The NEC's are assessed through referential statements, through the use of muscle testing. The intervention is created by applying a mechanical mobilisation device (activator) to specific spinal segments whilst the participant contemplates a recalled memory and the recents cause of the pain syndrome. This is believed to help disassociate the emotional content and a pain syndrome to facilitate the return to health. During this time pain is said to be reduced or normalised. Duration of Intervention: The intervention is applied in less than one second mobilising bursts of less than one centimetre amplitude. The burst are repeated 5 times bilaterally at three separate facet joint articulation of the spine (T1, T5 & T8). Participants received the intervention only once. At 3 days post intervention, the participants returned for reassessment of the measures taken at baseline.
Sponsors
Mr. Peter Bablis
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Blinded (masking used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Chronic cervical pain (greater than 3 months duration)
Exclusion criteria
Participants that did not have neck pain and headache. Participants who had acute cervical pain, Participants who had undergone recent surgery, Participants suffering any concurrent pathology.
Outcome results
None listed