Active clinical trials for "Neck Pain"

Cervical epidural block could cause spinal cord injury if the epidural needle is over-inserted and punctures the spinal cord. Investigators retrospectively evaluated the imaging data of 100 patients (50 men and 50 women) who underwent both cervical computed tomography (CT) and cervical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at our hospital. Investigators measured the diameters of the spinal canal and spinal cord from the 3rd cervical vertebra to the 1st thoracic vertebra (T1) at each level by using the patients' cervical CT and MR images. The spinal cord and spinal canal diameters were measured in the transverse plane of cervical MR and CT images, respectively.

The objective of the study is to detect the state of clinical and instrumental factors related in fighter pilots with non-specific mechanical neck pain.

Continued spinal pain following spine surgery is reported in up to 50% of patients. Disability and pain following spine surgery occurs. Repeat back surgery outcomes on Workers Compensation low back patients demonstrated larger number of patients did not come back to work. Such continued pain has biopsychosocial health relationships between the physical and the psychological and social factors that are associated with back pain and disability. Chiropractic consultation by post surgical continued pain (PSCP) patients occurs but the frequency, clinical treatment and outcomes of chiropractic treatment are not sufficiently documented. Conditions reported in continued pscp patients seeking care following spinal fusion are reported as sacroiliac joint pain, internal disc disruption, and zygapohyseal joint pain. Sacroiliac joint pain is more common after fusion, while internal disc disruption is more common in nonfusion patients. Very few studies are available on the outcomes of PSCP patients seen by chiropractic. This study proposes to investigate the clinical outcomes of PSCP patients presenting with pain in lumbar, thoracic, and cervical regions and had prior surgery in the respective regions, seeking care from field Doctors of Chiropractic (DCs) certified in Cox flexion distraction decompression procedures.

This study investigates in patients whose primary complaint is either neck pain and/or a voice disorder , if there are any correlations between subjective neck and voice symptoms according to Neck Disability Index (NDI) and Voice Handicap Index (VHI). NDI and VHI questionnaire results for voice disordered patients will be retrieved from the data base of the Department of Phoniatrics and Speech Pathology, University Hospital Zurich. Neck pain patient questionnaire data will be retrieved from an ongoing study. The agreement between subjective neck handicap (NDI) and voice handicap (VHI) will be statistically analysed.

The overall objective of this study is to develop and test an efficient set of self-report instruments to measure Complementary and Alternative Medicine(CAM)-relevant contextual factors important in healing. The initial phase of the study involves developing and refining an item bank. During the initial 'item bank development' phase, the investigators will run focus groups and cognitive interviews with individuals who participate in CAM and conventional medicine interventions. The next step of instrument development is called Calibration, and involves administering the revised item bank to an internet sample and to persons who receive services in a CAM clinic and a conventional primary care setting. The items will be calibrated using item response theory and classical test theory. This will result in a computerized adaptive testing version of the instrument, as well as a static short form of the instrument. This current protocol in ClinicalTrials.gov pertains only to the final, Validation Phase of the study. The final phase of the project will involve conducting initial validation studies of the set of instruments. The set of instruments will be called the Healing Encounters and Attitudes Lists (HEAL). The investigators will evaluate the convergent, discriminant, and predictive validity of the HEAL instruments in a sample of 200 persons with chronic low back pain or neck pain who are receiving physical therapy, chiropractic care, acupuncture, medical management, or mindfulness-based stress reduction. For convergent validity, the HEAL is expected to display moderate to large correlations with measures of similar constructs. The HEAL is expected to correlate modestly with self-report measures of general psychosocial functioning, in support of discriminant validity. Finally, HEAL scores should account for a significant proportion of the variance in treatment outcome, supporting predictive validity.

This study evaluates, if the movement of the cervical spine, assessed via a specific questionnaire by the patient, is a valid and reliable tool and could be used in daily clinical routine.

Identifying high-risk factors that may lead to shoulder, neck and lower back discomfort and contributing to the primary prevention of disease progression.

Corticosteroid injections into the epidural space or sacroiliac joint are increasingly used for the treatment of chronic neck, low back, and leg pain. These injections may have several side effects, including suppression of the body's adrenal glands to produce steroids (adrenal suppression) and negative effects on metabolism (weight gain, increased blood pressure, and high blood sugar levels). The purpose of this study is to determine the time course and predictors of adrenal suppression and the metabolic effects of corticosteroid injections for chronic pain. The investigators hypothesize normalization of adrenal function to occur within three weeks of injection in most individuals. An increased frequency of injections is predicted to lead to prolonged adrenal suppression. Corticosteroid injections are also hypothesized to lead to increases in body weight, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels, particularly in diabetic individuals.

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is a frequently applied therapy in chronic pain. Although evidence regarding the effectiveness of TENS in chronic pain is inconclusive many patients continue using TENS on long term in daily practice. An important question is therefore why some patients respond well and others don't at all. In chronic pain evidence for abnormal pain processing (sensitization) has been found in several patients groups. The process of sensitization might influence effectiveness of TENS as the theoretical working mechanism of TENS is based on the modulation of the transmission of nociceptive impulses form peripheral receptors throughout spinal nerve system into the brain. In this study we want to study the effect of TENS on pain transmission, as measured by contact heat evoked potentials (CHEPS), between 'responders' and non-responders' after a two weeks TENS treatment. 'Responders' will be defined as patients with a pain reduction of ≥ 30% on a VAS after a two week treatment period with TENS. Non-responders are patients with a pain reduction < 15%. Objective: a) Is pain reducing effect TENS in responders based on modulation of pain transmission and perception, as measured by CHEPS? b) Is the ability of TENS to modulate pain transmission and perception influenced by abnormal pain processing? Prospective cohort study Patients with chronic non specific pain (duration > 6 months), above 18 year, will be included. Patients are referred from the Pain Clinic of the University Hospital Maastricht (MUMC). Exclusion criteria are: a) pain due to cancer, b) the use of a cardiac pacemaker, c) pregnancy, d) neurological sensory deficits, e) language and/or cognitive inability to complete the health assessment questionnaires f) previous TENS for pain relief. Patients receive a two week treatment period with TENS-treatment, as regular, at home after instruction. The frequency is set at 100 Hz and pulse duration at 250 μ sec. Patients have to use the TENS daily (minimal 4 times a day for 30 minutes). Main study parameters/endpoints are decrease in amplitude of CHEPS in responders versus non-responders.

In this study we are investigating whether there is a relationship between the lordosis angle measured on cervical X-RAY images on the severity and level of cervical disc herniation detected by cervical MRI, demographic characteristics and the duration and posture of the person's daily life activities.