Background: Headache is pain in any region of the head. Headaches may occur on one or both sides of the head, be isolated to a certain location, radiate across the head from one point, or have a viselike quality. A headache may appear as a sharp pain, a throbbing sensation or a dull ache.
Objective: To compare the effect of cervical muscles coordination retraining exercises along with medication and medication alone on pain reduction, improving the cervical muscle strength and postural correction in patients with cervicogenic headache.
Study design: Quasi experimental study design.
Method: 30 subjects with cervicogenic headache were included in the study with 15 in each group. Subjects were from 20 – 45 years. One group received cervical muscle coordination retraining exercises along with medication and the other group received only medication.
Outcome measures: The pretest and posttest values were taken for verbally administered numeric rating scale, frequency of headache, craniovertebral angle and craniocervical flexion test.
Results: Statistical analysis were done using paired ‘t’ test for comparing within the group and independent ‘t’ test for comparing between the groups. Both groups show significant differences before and after the treatment. This was done to find out the effect of exercises on cervicogenic headache.
Conclusion: It was concluded that, the exercises with medication group was more effective than the medication group for patients with cervicogenic headache in reducing intensity and frequency of pain, improving craniovertebral angle and craniocervical flexion test. Henceforth these exercises can be used along with the medication as effective intervention.
Craniovertebral angle, craniocervical flexion test, cervicogenic headache.