NCT06803186

High Power Laser on Suboccipital Myoelectrical Activities and Quality of Life in Patients With Cervicogenic Headache

Effect of High Power Laser Therapy on Myoelectrical Activities of Suboccipital Muscles and Quality of Life in Patients With Cervicogenic Headache

• Status: Not Yet Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 40 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Cairo University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 30 Years – 50 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The study will be conducted: To investigate the effect of high-power laser on myoelectrical activities of suboccipital muscles in patients with cervicogenic headache. * To investigate the effect of high-power laser on pain in patients with cervicogenic headache. * To investigate the effect of high-power laser on quality of life in patients with cervicogenic headache.

Detailed description

Cervicogenic headache is a classification of headache in which pain is referred from the cervical spine. This category of headache is typically chronic, presented as unilateral cephalgia, spreading over the occipital, temporal, and frontal regions and is believed to be caused by musculoskeletal dysfunction of the neck. In high-power laser therapy (HPLT) there is an increase in mitochondrial oxidative reaction and adenosine phosphate (photobiology effect). The pain-releasing effect of HPLT is provided by reducing the transmission of painful stimuli and increased morphine mimetic factors. It has rapidly induced photochemical and photothermal effects, increasing blood flow, cell metabolism, and vascular permeability. In a recent study on exercise for cervicogenic headache, Subjects reported significant decreases in the frequency, intensity, and duration of their headaches. To our knowledge there is no study was found to investigate the effect of high-power laser therapy (HPLT) on myoelectrical activities of suboccipital muscles, pain and functional activities in patients with cervicogenic headache. So, this study aimed to determine the effect of high power laser therapy (HPLT) on myoelectrical activities of suboccipital muscles , pain and quality of life in patients with cervicogenic headache.

Conditions

• Cervicogenic Headache

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	High-power laser therapy	High power laser therapy (HPLT) with a neodymium-yttrium aluminum garnet laser with a pulsating waveform produced by a ( Hilterapia device , ASA, Arcugnano, Vicenza, Italy). It will be set at the following parameters: Nd:YAG laser with pulsed emission (1064 nm), very high peak powers with average power 6 W, high levels of fluency (760 mJ/cm energy density), short pulse duration (250 μs), low frequency (10-40 Hz), and 5-cm probe diameter for 15 minutes. The scanning will be performed longitudinally \&transversely from the C3 to C7 posterior neck in the paraspinal region, upper back, inter-scapular area, trapezius, sternocleidomastoid muscles, and posterior \& lateral shoulder areas
DEVICE	Placebo (PL) high power laser	laser probe scanning will be applied to the same areas as that applied in the HPLT procedure. PL will be applied while the lights of the device will be on, with no current flowing through the device. Placebo therapy will be applied at the same frequency as HPLT (Three sessions a week for six weeks for a total of 18 sessions; one session will be lasted 15 minutes).
OTHER	Conventional physical therapy program	A specific program of 45-min exercise of three sessions a week for six weeks for a total of 18 sessions. Corrective exercises will be performed initially by stretching exercises for(suboccipital, upper trapezeius, scalene, levator scapulae, sternocleidomastoid, pectoralis major/minor muscles) will be given four repetitions with 30 second hold. each with 3 seconds rest between each stretch Then, strengthening exercises will be performed initially in an isometric manner for weak muscles (deep cervical flexors, rhomboidus, and lower trapezeius muscles) will be done initially without weight and afterward by using Theraband and dumbells. All patients will be instructed to achieve three sets of 12 repetitions of the strengthening exercises (isometrics exercises) with 1 to 2 minutes rest in between each set. Contraction will be held for 5 seconds/repetitions. 10-20 repetitions for strengthening exercises and 3 sets of 30 repetitions for endurance exercise

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-01-31
• Primary completion: 2025-04-30
• Completion: 2025-05-15
• First posted: 2025-01-31
• Last updated: 2025-02-04

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Egypt