Clinical Trial: Trigger Point Therapy in Cervicogenic Headache

Study Status: Completed
Recruit Status: Completed
Study Type: Interventional

Official Title: MANUAL TREATMENT OF ACTIVE TRIGGER POINTS IN THE STERNOCLEIDOMASTOID MUSCLE IN PATIENTS WITH CERVICOGENIC HEADACHE: A PILOT RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIAL

Brief Summary: It is a pilot randomized controlled trial comparing real and simulated manual treatment of trigger points (TrPs) in patients with cervicogenic headache (CeH). The purpose of the current randomized clinical pilot trial was to determine the preliminary effects of TrP manual therapy in individuals with CeH with sternocleidomastoid muscle active TrPs as compared to manual contact over the muscle tissues.

Detailed Summary: CeH pain has been mostly related to joint, disk and ligament pain from the upper cervical spine; however, clinicians should consider that the upper cervical spine also receives afferent inputs from muscles. In fact, the role of referred pain to the head elicited by muscle TrPs has received particular interest in recent years. No study has investigated the effectiveness of TrP manual therapy in patients with CeH exhibiting active TrPs. Investigators hypothesized that patients receiving a real TrP treatment will exhibit a greater reduction in pain, sensitivity, cervical range of motion and neck endurance than those receiving a manual control non-therapeutic intervention.
Sponsor: César Fernández-de-las-Peñas

Current Primary Outcome: Change in headache intensity from baseline to one week after treatment [ Time Frame: Baseline and one week after the intervention ]

The intensity of head and neck pain was separately assessed with an 11-point numerical pain rate scale (NPRS, 0: no current pain, 10: maximum pain). It was recorded as a mean based on headaches experienced in the preceding week.


Original Primary Outcome: Same as current

Current Secondary Outcome:

  • Change in cervical range of motion from baseline to one week after treatment [ Time Frame: Baseline and one week after the intervention ]
    Cervical range of motion was measured using a cervical range of motion (CROM) device. Subjects were asked to move their head as far as they could without pain in a stan¬dardized sequence: flexion, extension, affected/non-affected lateral flexion, and affected/non-affected rotation.
  • Change in pressure pain sensitivity from baseline to one week after treatment [ Time Frame: Baseline and one week after the intervention ]
    Pressure pain thresholds (PPT), i.e., the amount of pressure where a sensation of pressure first changes to pain was assessed with an analogical algometer over C0-C1, C1-C2 and C2-C3 zygapophyseal joints on the symptomatic side.
  • Change in deep cervical flexors motor performance from baseline to one week after treatment [ Time Frame: Baseline and one week after the intervention ]
    The motor performance of the deep cervical flexor muscles was tested in all patients by using the cervical flexor test (CCFT).


Original Secondary Outcome: Same as current

Information By: Universidad Rey Juan Carlos

Dates:
Date Received: February 9, 2013
Date Started: October 2010
Date Completion:
Last Updated: February 12, 2013
Last Verified: February 2013