Efficacy of craniosacral therapy in cervicogenic headache: a literature review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48208/HeadacheMed.2024.32Keywords:
Cervicogenic headache, Neck pain, Craniosacral therapy, HeadacheAbstract
Background
Neck discomfort is a frequent problem that can impair quality of life and make it difficult to perform daily tasks. Pain from neck strain is not limited to the cervical spine; it can also radiate into the skull and result in a headache of cervical origin, known as cervicogenic headache. Craniosacral can cure a wide array of musculoskeletal and neurological conditions, including headaches, but there is little evidence in the literature of its efficacy, particularly regarding cervicogenic headaches.
Objective
To determine the effectiveness of craniosacral therapy (CST) for cervicogenic headache and improve our understanding of cervicogenic headache.
Methods
A review of the literature was performed using the following electronic search bases: PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus and The Cochrane library. To perform the search, these MeSH terms were used: “Cervicogenic headache” AND “Neck pain” AND “Craniosacral therapy” AND ‘Headache’ between the date 2020 to 2022.
Results
Eleven articles were included in the literature review. Overall, the results of published articles indicate 97.5–100% of the patients thought the treatment program was satisfactory. No adverse effects were reported. It has been demonstrated that CST is particularly safe and effective in lowering the intensity of neck pain. It may also enhance the quality of life and functional impairment for up to three months following the intervention. In addition to the conventional medical therapy, CST may be a beneficial therapeutic option for persistent and recurrent neck discomfort.
Conclusion
This review shows that CST is very effective for the treatment of cervicogenic headaches. CST evaluation is feasible in randomized controlled trials and may offer insightful results to enhance therapeutic decision-making.
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References
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Copyright (c) 2024 Bivishika Khadka, Divya Kashyap, Abhishek Kumar Sandilya, Vishal Verma (Author)
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