Osteopathyc manipulative therapy on cervicogenic headache - doi:10.5020/18061230.2009.p128

Abstract

Objective: To describe the use of Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy (OMT) in the reduction of signs and symptoms of a patient with Cervicogenic Chronic headache. Methods: This was a case study held in the months of March and April, 2006, in the Nucleus of Integrated Medical Attention (NAMI) in Fortaleza. A 49 years old female patient presented herself with main complaint of neck pain associated to frontal-left orbital headache. At physical examination, she presented both postural and kinetic-functional alterations in cervical-occipital region, eyelid edema to the left, dizziness, photophobia and insomnia. The radiological study of cervical spine showed rectification of cervical physiological lordosis (side view X-ray) and rotation of second and third cervical vertebrae to the right (anteroposterior X-ray). The treatment protocol consisted of Osteopathic techniques for soft tissues and Upper Cervical Manipulation Technique. Results: The goniometric study held during the evaluation and at the end of the treatment, respectively, evidenced 90º and 120º of the flexo-extension arc, 20º and 37º of right lateral inclination, 38º and 45º of left lateral inclination, 45º and 85º of cervical rotation to the right and 30º and 85º of rotation to the left. The radiological study demonstrated the reestablishment of physiological cervical lordosis and the realignment of cervical spinous processes. Regarding the clinics, the patient presented improvement of kinetic-functional restrictions in cervical-occipital region, improvement of sleep quality and increased interval between headache attacks. Conclusion: Based on the results, we verified that OMT was effective in the reduction of signs and symptoms of the patient object of the study.