Efficacy of manual therapy for cervical vertigo: a randomized controlled trial protocol

Area of Science:

• Integrative and Complementary Medicine
• Neurology
• Musculoskeletal Medicine

Background:

• Cervical vertigo (CV) is common, but effective treatments are scarce.
• Manual therapy shows promise for CV, yet evidence quality is low.
• Current manual therapies often neglect a whole-spine approach, focusing only on the cervical spine.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the short-term effectiveness of synergistic manual therapy (SM) for cervical vertigo.
• To compare SM therapy against local cervical manual therapy (CM) and a waiting list (WL) control group.
• To provide a rigorous assessment of a novel, comprehensive manual therapy approach for CV.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial (RCT) involving 138 patients.
• Participants allocated to SM, CM, or WL groups for 2 weeks, with a 3-month follow-up.
• Primary outcome: change in vertigo intensity (Dizziness Handicap Inventory); Secondary outcomes: blood flow velocity, spinal scores, quality of life, adverse events.

Main Results:

• Results are pending as this is a study design abstract.
• The primary outcome measure is the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) to assess vertigo intensity changes.
• Secondary outcome measures include vertebrobasilar artery blood flow velocity, cervical spine scores, and health-related quality of life.

Conclusions:

• This RCT is the first rigorous study to compare synergistic manual therapy (SM) with local cervical manual therapy (CM) and no treatment for CV.
• Findings will offer an objective clinical basis for utilizing SM therapy in managing cervical vertigo.
• The study aims to enhance treatment strategies for patients suffering from cervical vertigo.