Effects of Gua Sha and Thermotherapy on Chronic Neck Pain

Study Overview
=================
Brief Summary
-----------------
Gua Sha massage is a traditional chinese medical treatment. It is mostly used in the treatment of the common cold and pain syndromes. Gua Sha involves pressuring the skin by a round-edged instrument until small petechiae appear. This so called sha, considered as the removal of blood stasis by traditional practitioners, will fade within a few days. Normally, this treatment is not considered as painful, but as relaxing and easing tense muscles. In this study, the investigators will investigate the effectivity of Gua Sha massage in treating chronic neck pain. The investigators will research effects on subjective pain intensity, neck pain specific disability and haptic perception.

Official Title
-----------------
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Gua Sha Massage and Thermotherapy for Chronic Neck Pain: Effects on Pain Intensity, Haptic Perception and Body Image.

Conditions
-----------------
Neck Pain

Intervention / Treatment
-----------------
* Other: Gua Sha
* Device: Thermotherapy


Participation Criteria
=================
Eligibility Criteria
-----------------
Inclusion Criteria: Chronic mechanical neck pain, at least 40 mm on a 100mm visual analog scale. Pain for at least 3 months. Exclusion Criteria: radicular symptoms congenital spine deformity pregnancy rheumatic diseases oncologic diseases other severe psychiatric or somatic comorbidity recent invasive or surgical treatment of the spine participation in other studies skin diseases in the area to be treated

Ages Eligible for Study
-----------------
Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 75 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
-----------------
All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
-----------------
No

Study Plan
=================
How is the study designed?
-----------------

Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Active Comparator: Gua Sha<br>Single Gua Sha treatment of the neck and shoulder region. | Other: Gua Sha<br>* Single Gua Sha treatment of the neck and shoulder region<br>|
| Active Comparator: Thermotherapy<br>Single use of a mud heat pad on the neck and shoulder region. | Device: Thermotherapy<br>* Single use of a mud heat pad on the neck and shoulder region<br>|

What is the study measuring?
-----------------
Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Neck pain intensity (100mm visual analog scale) |  | Day 4 | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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. | Day 4 | 
| Haptic perception | The design consists of two angle legs, of which one angle leg has to be readjusted to a given angle adjustment. This is done by haptic perception without visual feedback. The deviation of the adjusted angle from the locked angle is measured. Reference: Grunwald, M., Ettich, C., Busse, F., Assmann, B., Dähne, A., Gertz, H.-J., (2002): Angle paradigm: A new method to measure right parietal dysfunctions in anorexia nervosa. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology , 17, pp. 485- 496 | Day 4 | 

 Terms related to the study
=================
Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
-----------------
neck pain, massage, hyperthermia, induced, touch perception, randomized controlled trial