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Dry needling versus instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization in patients with cervicogenic headache: a randomized
Hytham M Elhafez1, Omnia A Mohammed2, Ebtesam M Fahmy3
1Basic Science Branch, Physical Therapy College, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.
Disability and rehabilitation
|December 24, 2025
Resumen
Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) combined with physical therapy significantly improved cervicogenic headache (CGH) symptoms more than dry needling or conventional therapy alone. This suggests IASTM is a valuable addition to CGH treatment strategies.
Área de la Ciencia:
- Physical Therapy
- Neurology
- Pain Management
Sus antecedentes:
- Cervicogenic headache (CGH) is a debilitating condition often managed with conventional physical therapy.
- The efficacy of adjunctive therapies like dry needling (DN) and instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) for CGH requires further investigation.
Objetivo del estudio:
- To compare the effectiveness of DN and IASTM, when combined with conventional physical therapy, for managing CGH.
- To evaluate the impact of these interventions on pain, disability, and other relevant clinical outcomes.
Principales métodos:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 60 CGH patients allocated into three groups: DN + conventional therapy, IASTM + conventional therapy, and conventional therapy alone.
- Primary outcomes included Visual Analogue Scale, Arabic Neck Disability Index, and Pressure Pain Threshold (PPT). Secondary outcomes encompassed cervical range of motion (CROM), headache frequency, duration, and medication intake.
- Measurements were taken before and after a four-week intervention period.
Principales resultados:
- All measured variables showed statistically significant improvements in both the DN and IASTM groups compared to the control group (p < 0.05).
- The IASTM group demonstrated a specific advantage over the other groups across all measured variables.
Conclusiones:
- Combining DN or IASTM with conventional treatment significantly enhances outcomes for patients with cervicogenic headache.
- IASTM, in particular, shows promising results, suggesting its integration into CGH management strategies may optimize treatment efficacy.
