No abstract available.
Neck Pain*

Neck pain presents as a symptom of dull pain or discomfort mainly along the trapezius muscle. Dry needling is an invasive procedure which uses acupuncture needle directed at myofascial trigger points. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of dry needling in managing patients with neck pain. A pre-test-post-test interventional study design was used. Patient education package was provided to 32 respondents who fulfilled the inclusion criteria. A 13-item Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) questionnaire was used to assess Rumination, Magnification and Helplessness. Subjective pain intensity was measured by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). These questionnaires were given before and after the dry needling intervention. The findings reported that respondents scored high in pre-test total PCS score (27.41±13.652). Post-test result revealed a significant improvement in total PCS score (23.06±13.938) (p = 0.000). Post-test VAS score (4.78±1.237) was also significantly better than pre-test (6.47±1.414) (p = 0.000). There was no significant difference in pre-test PCS in terms of marital status (p > 0.05) whereas there was significant difference between marital status and rumination in post-test (Z = -2.303, p = 0.021). There was significant difference between pre-test magnification in terms of respondents’ occupation (p = 0.008) and race (p = 0.035) but no significant difference in post-test. Respondents’ age group showed no significant differences between pre-test and post-test PCS and VAS (p > 0.05). In conclusion, patients who received dry needling showed improvement in pain intensity and catastrophizing towards neck pain.
Neck Pain

BACKGROUND: Neck pain is considered the fourth leading cause of disability, with an annual prevalence rate of 15 to 30%. Using evidence-based practice in neck pain examination is a vital part of the rehabilitation process as it serves as a basis for determining the best treatment. The objective of the study is to determine the usage of recommended examination tool for neck pain among the physical therapists in selected hospitals and clinics in Metro Manila. METHODS: The study has three distinct phases wherein phase 1 was the development and validation of a data extraction sheet, phase 2 was the assessment of interrater reliability among the investigators who will perform the chart review, and phase 3 was the chart review process. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. RESULTS: In phase 1, the contents of the data extraction sheet were found to be valid. In phase 2, the inter-rater reliability was 96.7% percent. In phase 3, the visual analogue scale was the most commonly used examination tool, yielding a 54% usage. This was followed by cervical range of motion & cervical manual muscle testing (22%), palpation (15%), sensory testing (7%), postural assessment (6%), special test (4%), ocular inspection (2%), functional assessment (1%), Functional Index Measure (1%) and functional muscle testing (1%). Neck Disability Index, which was one of the literature-recommended examination tools, was not used CONCLUSION Visual analogue scale was the most commonly used examination tool in conditions with neck pain in selected hospitals and clinics in Metro Manila. Further investigation can be done in order to know the reasons for the use or nonuse of examination tools.
Neck Pain

Six patients were operated on with Robinson Technique-Lesions are the following: disruption of cervical spine: 4 disruption associated with fracture of the vertebral body:2 Association with disc herniation: 2. Results: complete or nearly complete neurological recovery: 3. No improvement: 3. - Mortality: 0. Advantages of the technique. 1. Compression fragments, disc at the anterior part of the spinal cord demonstrated by CT scanner or MRI, can be removed. 2. Immobilisation by plates and screws at the vertebral bodies is stable, enabling early rehabilitation. 3. Good reduction and stabilisation.
Neck Pain ; Neck Injuries ; Therapeutics

In the literature, the scapular neck fracture with ipsilateral acromioclavicluar dislocation(type I), mid-clavicular fracture(type II) or sternoclavicular dislocation(type III) is defined as floating shoulder. Authors managed 4 cases of type II floating shoulder, 3 cases by open reduction and internal fixation for the clavicular fracture only and 1 case by conservative therapy. The final results were excellent in 3 cases of the operative group and good in 1 case of the conservative group, by UCLA shoulder rating scale. There were no complications, including drooping or limited motion in the operative treatment group. However, there was shoulder pain in the case of the conservative treatment. It is thought that internal fixation for the clavicular fracture only may be the simple and sufficient treatment method for type lI floating shoulder.
Neck ; Shoulder Pain ; Shoulder*

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of topically applied capsaicin cream for the treatment of chronic low back and posterior neck pain. Fourty-one patients with chronic low back or posterior neck pain of more than 6 months despite comprehensive management in our rehabilitation department were selected for this study. Of these subjects, a group of 21 patients used capsaicin cream, and the other 21 patients used NSAID gel as a control group. Pain intensities in both groups were measured with the visual analogue scale(VAS) before the treatment, 2 weeks and 5 weeks after the treatment. McGill Pain Questionnaire(MPQ) was used before and 5 weeks after the treatment. According to followed-up VAS, MPQ-number of words chosen, and MPQ-pain rating index, there was an evidence of effective pain relief by capsaicin cream for the low back and posterior neck pain 5 weeks after the treatment. We conclude that continuous use of capsaicin cream for 5 weeks can be beneficial for the chronic pain patients in relieving pain and subsequently helping their rehabilitation process.
Capsaicin* ; Chronic Pain ; Humans ; Neck Pain* ; Rehabilitation

Surgical treatment of 24 patients with chronic intractable pain from head and neck cancer was reviewed in the study. Pain relief is not expected with conventional treatments designed to control the primary disease in advanced head and neck cancer. Effectiveness of neurosurgical procedures such as radiofrequency trigeminal rhizotomy, posterior cervical rhizotomy and medullary tractotomy for relief of intractable cancer pain is emphasized in the paper. Trigeminal radiofrequency rhizotomy is the treatment of choice for relieving the uncontrollable pain in the facial area. Trigeminal rhizotomy and cervical rhizotomy or medullary tractotomy are helpful for facial pain extending into the neck. Glossopharyngeal rhizotomy is seldom used but is useful for pain in the pharynx.
Facial Pain ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; Head* ; Humans ; Neck Pain* ; Neck* ; Neurosurgical Procedures ; Pain, Intractable ; Pharynx ; Rhizotomy

STUDY DESIGN: A prospective study. PURPOSE: To evaluate the reliability and validity of the adapted Korean version of the Neck Pain and Disability Scale (NPDS). OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: The validity of Korean version of NPDS has not been completely demonstrated yet. METHODS: Translation/retranslation of the English version of NPDS was conducted, and all steps of the cross-cultural adaptation process were performed. The Korean version of the visual analog scale (VAS) measure of pain, NPDS and the previously validated Short Form-36 (SF-36) were mailed to 91 patients, who had been surgically treated for degenerative cervical disease. Eighty-one patients responded to the first mailing of questionnaires and 69 of the first time responder returned their second survey. Factor analysis and reliability assessment by kappa statistics of agreement for each item, the intraclass correlation coefficient and Cronbach's alpha were conducted. Concurrent and construct validity were also evaluated by comparing the responses of NPDS with the results of VAS and responses of SF-36. RESULTS: Factor analysis extracted 3 factors. All items had a kappa statistics of agreement greater than 0.6. The NPDS showed excellent test/re-test reliability. Internal consistency of Cronbach's alpha was found to be very good. The NPDS was correlated with the VAS. The Korean version of NPDS showed good significant correlation with SF-36 total score and with single SF-36 domains scores. CONCLUSIONS: The adapted Korean version of the NPDS was successfully translated and is considered suitable for outcome assessments in the Korean-speaking patients with neck pain.
Humans ; Neck ; Neck Pain ; Prospective Studies ; Reproducibility of Results ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Traumatic atlantoaxial rotatory fixation (AARF) with accompanying odontoid and C2 articular facet fracture is a very rare injury, and only one such case has been reported in the medical literature. We present here a case of a traumatic AARF associated with an odontoid and comminuted C2 articular facet fracture, and this was treated with skull traction and halo-vest immobilization for 3 months. After removal of the halo-vest immobilization, his neck pain was improved and his neck motion was preserved without any neurologic deficits although mild torticolis was still observed in closer inspection.
Immobilization ; Neck ; Neck Pain ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Skull ; Traction

BACKGROUND: During thyroidectomy, the patient's neck is fully extended for good surgical exposure. After thyroidectomy, patients usually complain of posterior headache and posterior neck pain. It has been known that the greater occipital nerve block is a means of effective medical treatment for occipital headache and posterior neck pain. Therefore, we examined the effects of a greater occipital nerve block on postthyroidectomy headache and neck pain. METHODS: This study was randomized and double-blinded. After anesthesia induction, patients were administered greater occipital nerve block by the same anesthesiologist; 0.25% bupivacaine 5 ml was used for each greater occipital nerve block. Patients in the control group did not receive a greater occipital nerve block. After thyroidectomy, another anesthesiologist evaluated patients' headaches and neck pains at 4, 12, and 24 hours postoperatively by using a VAS. RESULTS: Forty four patients were included. The number of patients in the control and the block group were 27 and 17, respectively. VAS scores of occipital headache after 4, 12, and 24 hours in the control group were 3.52+/-2.75, 3.67+/-2.75, and 2.95+/-1.96, respectively. VAS scores of occipital headache after 4, 12, and 24 hours in the block group were 0.05+/-0.65, 0.50+/-0.85, and 0.43+/-0.64, respectively. VAS scores of posterior neck pain after 4, 12, and 24 hours in the control group were 4.09+/-2.79, 3.81+/-2.60, and 3.00+/-2.02. VAS scores of posterior neck pain after 4, 12, and 24 hours in the block group were 1.29+/-2.20, 1.00+/-1.66, and 0.79+/-1.25, respectively. The pain experienced by the block group was significantly lower than that of the control group. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that greater occipital nerve block is an effective modality for reducing post-thyroidectomy headache and posterior neck pain.
Anesthesia ; Bupivacaine ; Headache* ; Humans ; Neck Pain* ; Neck* ; Nerve Block* ; Thyroidectomy*