Effects of Thermotherapy on Chronic Neck Pain

Randomized Controlled Pilot Study: Effects of a Heat Pad Application in Patients With Chronic Neck Pain

Chronic neck pain is a common worldwide problem. In the majority of cases, patients are treated by medication, referral to a physiotherapist or thermotherapy. Thermotherapy - the therapeutic application of topical heat - provides an easy to apply self-help strategy in patients with chronic neck pain. However, despite the frequent use in clinical practice, there is no research regarding this topic yet.

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether thermotherapy self-treatment for chronic neck pain induces changes in perceived pain intensity and in sensory processing.

Inclusion Criteria:

• non-specific neck pain the last 3 months
• mean pain intensity of at least 4 on a 10-level numerical rating scale with "0" meaning "no pain" and "10" meaning "worst pain imaginable"

Exclusion Criteria:

• radicular symptoms
• congenital spine deformity
• skin diseases in the painful area to be treated
• pregnancy
• insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
• rheumatic diseases
• oncologic diseases
• steroid medication
• anticoagulation medication
• recent invasive or surgical treatment of the spine