Cervicogenic Headache
Conditions
Keywords
Dry needling, Cervicogenic headache, Manual therapy
Brief summary
Evaluating the benefit of dry needling of the sternocleidomastoid muscle in subjects with cervicogenic headaches.
Detailed description
The purpose of this study is to determine whether individuals with cervicogenic headache respond favorably to a program of manual therapy in combination with dry needling of the major muscle between chest bone and the head (sternocleidomastoid muscle) compared to manual therapy directed to the upper body quadrant alone. The researchers will conduct a randomized clinical trial to assess the effectiveness of a manual therapy and dry needling approach (group 1) vs. manual therapy only. (group 2)
Interventions
PROCEDUREDry needling
Dryneedling of the sternocleidomastoid muscles within a standard treatment approach of physical therapy
Sponsors
Florida Gulf Coast University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)
Masking description
Random assignment to dry needle group or control group with standard manual therapy interventions
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
1. Age between 18-65 years old 2. Primary complaint of cervicogenic headache 3. Restricted cervical Range of motion 4. Neck Disability Index \> 20 points
Exclusion criteria
1. Red flags identified during the patients physical therapy initial evaluation (i.e. tumor, fracture, metabolic diseases, RA, osteoporosis, prolonged history of steroid use, symptoms of vertebrobasilary insufficiency, pregnancy, cervical spinal stenosis, bilateral upper extremity symptoms etc. 2. Use of blood thinners 3. History of whiplash injury within the past six weeks 4. Evidence of central nervous system involvement, to include hyperreflexia, sensory disturbances in the hand, intrinsic muscle wasting of the hands, unsteadiness during walking, nystagmus, loss of visual acuity, impaired sensation of the face, altered taste, the presence of pathological reflexes (i.e. positive Hoffman's and/or Babinski reflexes), etc. 5. Two or more positive neurologic signs consistent with nerve root compression, including any two of the following: 1. Muscle weakness involving a major muscle group of the upper extremity 2. Diminished upper extremity muscle stretch reflex (biceps brachii, brachioradialis, or triceps) 3. Diminished or absent sensation to pinprick in any upper extremity dermatome 6. Prior surgery to the neck or thoracic spine 7. Chiropractic, Physical Therapy, or Acupuncture treatment for their neck pain in the last 6-months 8. Workers compensation or pending legal action regarding their headaches 9. Insufficient English language skills to complete all questionnaires 10. Inability to comply with treatment and follow-up schedule
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Headache Disability Index (HDI) score | At initial evaluation (day 1), week three (day 21) and week 6 (day 42) | Questionnaire for self report, this will be on a 0-100 score |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in cervical range of motion using an inclinometer/ change in high cervical range of motion using the Flexion-Rotation Test (FRT) | At initial evaluation (day 1), week three (day 21) and week 6 (day 42) | range of motion assessment, this will be measured in degrees with standardized goniometer measure |
| Change in the neck disability Index score | At initial evaluation (day 1), week three (day 21) and week 6 (day 42) | Self report neck pain questionnaire, This is a 0-100 score |
| Change in visual analogue scale score | At initial evaluation (day 1), week three (day 21) and week 6 (day 42) | Pain intensity scale,on a 10 cm line patient is asked to mark pain with one vertical mark |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed