Clinical Response of Nuberol Forte in Chronic Neck Pain in Routine Rehabilitation Centers

Globally, the prevalence of neck pain ranges from 16.7% to 75.1%. Despite conducting multiple studies on specific subject pools in Pakistan, primarily focusing on professional-related neck pain, there is a lack of accurate data to determine the local prevalence of neck pain or the effective management of neck pain through physical therapy and pharmacological intervention. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of paracetamol and orphenadrine (Nuberol Forte) when combined with physical therapy in Pakistani patients suffering from neck pain at regular rehabilitation centers.

For most cases of neck pain, the risk factors are multifactorial, and clear pathophysiological mechanisms are lacking. Treatment efforts aim to alleviate symptoms in the absence of causal treatment alternatives, while rehabilitation programs enhance the functional status. Therefore, it is imperative to have validated questionnaires to measure pain, other symptoms, and functional limitations in neck pain disorders, both for characterizing the patient group and evaluating rehabilitation efforts. The Alfta Rehab Center developed the Profile Fitness Mapping for Neck (ProFitMap-neck) questionnaire between 1992 and 1994, which comprises two scales for assessing self-estimated symptoms and functional limitations resulting from neck problems. The symptom scale comprises two indices, representing the intensity and frequency of the symptoms, while the functional limitation scale produces a single function index. The current study describes and evaluates the reliability and validity of a Profile Fitness Mapping Neck questionnaire (ProFitMap-neck) to assess the symptoms and functional limitations of Pakistani people with chronic neck pain. There is no clear evidence that orphenadrine's antimuscarinic activity is related to its antinociceptive action, although its mild antihistaminic activity may play a role. Histamine can stimulate nociceptors, and histamine receptors are found in brain tissue and primary afferent neurons. Unlike the other muscle relaxants, orphenadrine produces some independent analgesic effects that may contribute to its efficacy in relieving painful skeletal muscle spasm. Paracetamol/acetaminophen is one of the most popular and commonly used analgesic and antipyretic drugs in the world, available without a prescription in both mono- and multi-component preparations. Patients who cannot receive treatment from non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as those with bronchial asthma, peptic ulcer disease, hemophilia, salicylate-sensitized individuals, or pregnant or breastfeeding women, opt for this drug. The mechanism of action is complex and includes the effects of both the peripheral (COX inhibition) and central (COX, serotonergic descending neuronal pathway, L-arginine/NO pathway, cannabinoid system) antinociception processes, as well as redox mechanisms that block the production of chemicals in the body that are responsible for pain. Paracetamol is a well-tolerated drug and produces few side effects from the gastrointestinal tract. The non-clinical data demonstrated that orphenadrine is a mild antinociceptive agent similar to non-opioid analgesics. There are clear indications that the combination with Paracetamol may provide increased antinociceptive activity and duration of action over and above Orphenadrine or Paracetamol alone.

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

* Patient with a clinical history of chronic neck pain from last 3 months.
* Patient aged ≥18 and ≤70 years inclusive of either sex.
* Patient with ability to understand and sign written informed consent form.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Subjects with acute or subacute neck pain.
* Subjects with specific etiology for neck pain (e.g. trauma, herniated disc, vertebral deformities, fractures);
* Subjects with central or peripheral neurological signs.
* Individuals with systemic diseases, neuromuscular diseases, rheumatic diseases, cognitive deficit, tumors.
* Known hypersensitivity to Nuberol Forte product, the metabolites, or formulation excipients.
* Patients with Glaucoma, prostatic hypertrophy or obstruction at the bladder neck, myasthenia gravis, oesophageal spasm and pyloric or duodenal obstruction.
* Treated with Nuberol Forte to evaluate safety as per approved prescribing information for Nuberol Forte in Pakistan.
* Pregnant (assesed on LMP) or breast feeding women (assessed on interview).