Manual Techniques in Cervicogenic Headache

Cervicogenic headache is a relatively common and still controversial form of headache arising from structures in the neck. In patients with this disorder, attacks or chronic fluctuating periods of neck/head pain may be provoked by the sustained neck. The International Headache Society (IHS), 2013 defined Cervicogenic Headache (CGH) as a secondary headache, which implies that headache is caused by a disorder of the cervical spine and its components bony, disc, and soft tissue elements. CGH can be a perplexing pain disorder that is refractory to treatment if it is perceived. Patients with CGH exhibited decreases in the quality of life comparable to migraine patients and patients with tension-type headaches, with even lower scores for physical functioning.

.Headache is a common disorder affecting up to 66% of the general population. headache negatively influences both quality of life and labor productivity.Cervicogenic headache is one of the common types of headache accounting for 0.4-15% of the headache population.

we distinguished it from other types of headaches, such as a migraine, that may present with some common symptoms. The International Headache Society (IHS) classified CGH as a secondary headache arising from musculoskeletal disorders in the cervical spine. The complicated convergence of cervical afferents with trigeminal afferents in the trigemino-cervical complex is intended as the physiologic basis of a headache arising from cervical structures.

The aim of friction massage is to take care of the quality at intervals the soft tissue structures of ligament, tendon, and muscle and stop adherent scars from forming. The massage is deep and should be applied transversally to the precise tissue concerned in contrast to the superficial massage given within the longitudinal direction parallel to the vessels which boosts circulation and come of fluid. Profound cervical flexor (DCF) has a noteworthy postural capacity in supporting and rectifying the cervical lordosis. It has been discovered that specific muscles in the cervical spine have a tendency to debilitate , the most widely recognized of these being the DCF.

MET is a treatment technique that includes a willful constriction of a subject's muscle in a correctly controlled bearing, against a counterforce that is given by the specialist. MET is utilized to diminish the pain, extend the tight muscles and belts, decrease muscle tone, enhances nearby flow, strengthen the feeble musculature, and mobilizes the joint restrictions. MET increases the extensibility of muscles and spinal range of motion, treating patients with reduced mobility. Extending includes the use of manual or mechanical power to prolong/protract the structures that are adaptively been abbreviated and are hypomobile.

Post-isometric relaxation (PIR) may be a technique typically employed by manual therapists for treating muscle tension and joint pathology in myofascial pain syndromes There is a lack of evidence demonstrating the efficacy of deep friction massage therapy in the management of cervicogenic headache, particularly targeting cervical muscle tightness related to Cervicogenic headache. The purpose of this study is to compare the effect of soft tissue massage with MET to access which technique has a greater clinical impact than others in improving cervicogenic headache.

Inclusion criteria

• Both genders.
• Symptoms duration more than 6 months.
• Age 18 -60
• Patient has confirmed the diagnosis of cervicogenic headache

Exclusion criteria

• Rule out cervical malignancy
• infection (such as osteomyelitis or diskitis)
• osteoporosis, inflammatory arthritis.
• fracture, pregnancy
• cord compression, uncontrolled hypertension
• cardiovascular disease
• in the setting of carotid or vertebral artery disease.
• Trauma cases