Assessing effects of a semi-customized experimental cervical pillow on symptomatic adults with chronic neck pain with and without headache.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the effects of a semi-customized experimental cervical pillow on symptomatic adults with chronic neck pain (with and without headache) during a four week study.


METHODS
A randomized controlled trial.


METHODS
Thirty-six adults were recruited for the trial, and randomly assigned to experimental or non-experimental groups of 17 and 19 participants respectively.


METHODS
Adults with chronic biomechanical neck pain who were recruited from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC) Walk-in Clinic.


METHODS
Subjective findings were assessed using a mail-in self-report daily pain diary, and the CMCC Neck Disability Index (NDI).


METHODS
Using repeated measure analysis of variance weekly NDI scores, average weekly AM and PM pain scores between the experimental and non-experimental groups were compared throughout the study.


RESULTS
The experimental group had statistically significant lower NDI scores (p < 0.05) than the non-experimental group. The average weekly AM scores were lower and statistically significant (p < 0.05) in the experimental group. The PM scores in the experimental group were lower but not statistically significant than the other group.


CONCLUSIONS
The study results show that compared to conventional pillows, this experimental semi-customized cervical pillow was effective in reducing low-level neck pain intensity, especially in the morning following its use in a 4 week long study.
Erfanian
Parham
P
Tenzif
Siamak
S
Guerriero
Rocco C
RC