The Relationship Between Dizziness and Neck Pain

Neck Pain Clinical Trial

Official title:

Dizziness and Neck Pain - is There a Relationship and Does it Matter?

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Active, not recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT03531619
• Other study ID #: 2017/783
• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Start date: July 11, 2017
• Est. completion date: March 1, 2024

Study information

• Verified date: April 2023
• Source: Haukeland University Hospital
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Observational

Clinical Trial Summary

Both dizziness and neck pain are common complaints in the Norwegian population. The cervical spine has a highly developed proprioceptive system, which is involved in head and gaze stabilization as well as postural control. Thus, it has been argued that dizziness and/or unsteadiness can occur due to loss of or inadequate stimulation of neck receptors in patients with neck pain. Still, the notion of dizziness due to cervical dysfunction is a controversial topic. However, clinicians report that patients referred for dizziness often complain of neck pain, and vice versa.

This study is a multi-center study including patients referred to 1) a neuro-otologic clinic due to dizziness and 2) a rehabilitation clinic due to neck pain. Both clinics are tertiary care university clinics. The study explores the prevalence, severity and spectrum of symptoms as well as clinical findings in patients with various combinations of dizziness and neck pain. The aim is to see if these patient groups differ from each other in terms of clinical characteristics, symptoms and quality of life. Additionally, the aim is to examine if there is a relationship between neck dysfunction and dizziness, and last, if the symptoms persist longer in patients with both dizziness and neck pain.

Description:

This is a longitudinal study with data collected at baseline, 6 months and 3 years follow-up.

Variables collected at baseline include age, sex, symptom variables including Dizziness Handicap Inventory, Vertigo Symptom Scale Short Form, Haukeland Dizziness Questionnaire, Visual analog scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, RAND-12, dynamic posturography, video-based head impulse test, bithermal caloric tests, Neck Disability Index, as well as neck examinations including pressure algometry and measurements of the range of neck movements.

Follow-up data after 6 months include the same patient-reported outcomes as at baseline.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Enrollment: 370
• Est. completion date: March 1, 2024
• Est. primary completion date: February 1, 2024
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years to 67 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion criteria for patients:

• Residence within the Health Region of Western Norway AND

• Referral to the ENT department of Haukeland University Hospital due to vertigo OR

• Referral to Nordås Outpatient Clinic due to neck pain lasting > 3 months

Exclusion criteria for patients:

• Severe orthopaedic or neurologic disease affecting postural balance

• Inability to undergo test protocol due to physical or language barriers

• Quaternary referrals (vestibular schwannomas or divers with vestibular disorders)

Inclusion criteria for healthy controls:

• Employees at Haukeland University Hospital

Exclusion criteria for healthy controls:

• Known neurologic or vestibular disease or ongoing ear disease.

• Neck pain within last 3 months

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Dizziness
• Neck Pain
• Vertigo

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Norway	Haukeland University Hospital	Bergen

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Haukeland University Hospital

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Norway, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Difference between Groups in the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI)	25-item symptom score. 0-100 Points on dizziness handicap severity	Baseline and 6 months follow-up
Primary	Difference betwee Groups in the Neck Disability Index (NDI)	10-time symptom score. 0-50 Points on neck disabilty severity	Baseline and 6 months follow-up
Secondary	Correlation between Posturography and neck pain	Path length is used as measure of steadiness. Neck pain is measured With a pressure algometer, measuring the pressure pain threshold of the neck in kilo pascal.	Baseline