Effects of Thermotherapy on Chronic Neck Pain

Universität Duisburg-Essen50 enrolled

Overview

Chronic neck pain is a common worldwide problem. In the majority of cases, patients are treated by medication, referral to a physiotherapist or thermotherapy. Thermotherapy - the therapeutic application of topical heat - provides an easy to apply self-help strategy in patients with chronic neck pain. However, despite the frequent use in clinical practice, there is no research regarding this topic yet. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether thermotherapy self-treatment for chronic neck pain induces changes in perceived pain intensity and in sensory processing.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Enrollment

Conditions

Neck Pain

Interventions

ThermotherapyPROCEDURE

Patients are instructed to heat a moor mud filled heat pad (beinio®therm, bb med. product GmbH, Kalkar (Kehrum), Germany) to a hot, but tolerable temperature and to apply it over the painful area once a day for 20 minutes during a period of 14 days. Patients are instructed to continue their usual medication - including analgesic drugs - and physiotherapy (massages and exercise) during the study period.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * non-specific neck pain the last 3 months * mean pain intensity of at least 4 on a 10-level numerical rating scale with "0" meaning "no pain" and "10" meaning "worst pain imaginable" Exclusion Criteria: * radicular symptoms * congenital spine deformity * skin diseases in the painful area to be treated * pregnancy * insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus * rheumatic diseases * oncologic diseases * steroid medication * anticoagulation medication * recent invasive or surgical treatment of the spine

Locations (1)

Kliniken Essen-Mitte, Knappschafts-Krankenhaus, Department for Internal and Integrative Medicine

Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Neck pain intensity (100mm visual analog scale)

100mm visual analog scale

Time frame: Day 14

Secondary Outcomes

Pain related to motion

100mm visual analog scale for 6 movement directions (flexion, extension, rotation right/left, lateral flexion right/left) Reference: Irnich D, Behrens N, Molzen H, König A, Gleditsch J, Krauss M, Natalis M, Senn E, Beyer A, Schöps P. Randomised trial of acupuncture compared with conventional massage and "sham" laser acupuncture for treatment of chronic neck pain. BMJ. 2001 Jun 30;322(7302):1574-8.

Time frame: Day 14

Neck disability index (NDI)

The Neck Disability Index is an instrument to assess neck pain complaints. Reference: Vernon H, Mior S. The Neck Disability Index: a study of reliability and validity. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 1991;14:409-415.

Time frame: Day 14

SF-36

The SF-36 is a short-form health survey consisting of 8 scales (physical functioning, role-physical, bodily pain, general health, vitality, social functioning, role-emotional, mental health) measuring functional health and well-being as well as a physical a and mental health component scores. Reference: Bullinger M, Kirchberger I. SF-36 Fragebogen zum Gesundheitszustand. Göttingen: Hogrefe, 1998.

Time frame: Day 14

Pain diary

100mm visual analog scale for rating neck pain intensity each day

Time frame: From day 1 to day 14

Pressure pain threshold

Pressure pain threshold measured at two individual points at the neck: (1) at the point of maximal pain and (2) in the adjacent region, one to two cm outside the painful area and at both hands, serving as control sites. Measurement procedure according to the protocol of QST. Reference: Rolke R et al. Quantitative sensory testing in the German Research Network on Neuropathic Pain (DFNS): standardized protocol and reference values. Pain 2006;123:231-243.

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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