title: The effect of mobilization on cervical headaches.
abstract: Headaches of cervical origin are often treated with mobilization. Mobilization of the upper cervical spine, occiput-C3, and effect on frequency, duration, and intensity of cervical headaches were studied utilizing an A-B-A single case design. Ten subjects who met the operational criteria of cervical headaches completed the study. A headache log was used to document headache frequency, duration, and intensity throughout all three phases (A-B-A). The baseline phase (A) lasted approximately 1 month, and no intervention was performed. The intervention phase (B) consisted of 9-12 treatment sessions, two times per week for 3-4 weeks. Visual analysis of data plots revealed a decrease in headache frequency, duration, and intensity from the baseline phase to the treatment phase. This improvement continued through the second A phase for frequency but leveled off for both duration and intensity. A one-way analysis of variance supported the findings from the visual analysis. In these 10 subjects, mobilization had a therapeutic effect on cervical headaches.
authors.affiliation: Baptist Medical Centers at Montclair, Birmingham, AL, USA.
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Schoensee
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nicholson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gossman
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Katholi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008349:Manipulation, Orthopedic; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D016896:Treatment Outcome