Treating Chronic Cervicogenic Head And Neck Pain With Osteopathic Manipulation And Exercise Therapy

"Treating Chronic Cervicogenic Head and Neck Pain With Osteopathic Manipulation and Exercise Therapy is a research project at the intersection of osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM)/osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) and chronic pain management. The project addresses chronic cervicogenic head and neck pain, a condition characterized by persistent pain originating from cervical spine structures that refers to the head and upper neck. The study situates osteopathic manipulation alongside structured exercise therapy to evaluate the combined impact of manual OMM approaches and active rehabilitation strategies on pain, function, and patient-centered outcomes. 

The project leverages the osteopathic profession's expertise in manual medicine and integrates exercise therapy to reflect contemporary multimodal approaches to chronic pain management. By focusing on cervicogenic head and neck pain, the study targets a patient population for whom conservative, nonpharmacologic treatments are highly relevant given concerns about long-term medication use and the need for functional restoration.

The objectives include assessing pain reduction, improvements in neck and head function and the potential for OMM combined with exercise to alter clinical trajectories for chronic cervicogenic pain. Outcome measures are envisioned to encompass patient-reported pain intensity and disability, range-of-motion and functional performance metrics, and measures of quality of life and activity participation. The study design is informed by the AOA's grant goals of producing rigorous clinical research that can be prepared for publication in osteopathic venues such as The Journal of Osteopathic Medicine and disseminated to clinicians and trainees.