Relationship of Cervical Region Tension With Vagal Function

NCT ID: NCT05325879

Last Updated: 2023-11-18

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 41 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2022-08-15
• Study Completion Date: 2023-09-15

Brief Summary

The increase in the tension of the soft tissues around a nerve restricts the movement, affects the function of the nerve, and makes the nerve vulnerable to entrapment. Even a mild nerve compression can cause entrapment and lead to neuroinflammation. It is known that inflammatory mediators amplify axonal sensitivity. Although the spontaneous discharge potential of visceral afferents is quite low under normal conditions, neuroinflammation increases the excitability of these fibers. With this mechanism, hyperalgesia may develop in sensory fibers in neuroinflammation. This may cause pathologies in the organs innervated by the relevant nerve.

The fascia and muscles of the cervical region surround the vagus nerve. There are two main fascial compartments in the cervical region. The SCM and trapezius muscle fascias join to the most superficial fascia of the deep cervical fascia and they together form these compartments. These fasciae superiorly attach to the cranium and inferiorly to the pectoral region. The vagus nerve emerges from the jugular foramen together with the 9th and 11th cranial nerves. It then continues through the carotid sheath in the cervical region. The carotid sheath is in contact with the SCM muscle. For this reason, it can be thought that SCM muscle tension or thickness may affect the carotid sheath and thus the function of the vagus nerve passing through it.

In summary, deterioration in vagus nerve activity plays a role in pathologies of the organs innervated by the vagus. Although the relationship between vagal dysfunction and gastrointestinal system symptoms is clear, the mechanisms affecting vagus nerve function have not yet been clarified. It has been reported in the literature that some maneuvers from the cervical region are also effective on the vagus nerve. Also, according to investigators' clinical experience, gastrointestinal symptoms are frequently observed in patients with increased cervical soft tissue tension. However, there are not enough studies investigating whether the cervical region soft tissue tension can affect the gastrointestinal system via the vagus nerve. Therefore, this study was planned to examine the relationship of cervical soft tissue tension with vagus nerve function and gastrointestinal symptoms in asymptomatic individuals and individuals with neck pain.

Conditions

Gastrointestinal Diseases; Autonomic Nervous System Disease

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NON_RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Primary Study Purpose: SCREENING
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

Asymptomatic Individuals

Individuals aged between 18-50 who volunteered to participate in the study, will form the control group.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

VAGUS-NDT

Intervention Type: OTHER

Neurodynamic test for vagus nerve

Individuals with neck pain

Individuals with neck pain aged between 18-50 who volunteered to participate in the study, will form the study group.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

VAGUS-NDT

Intervention Type: OTHER

Neurodynamic test for vagus nerve

Interventions

VAGUS-NDT

Neurodynamic test for vagus nerve

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Being 18-50 of age,
• Having less than 30 body mass index,
• Being a volunteer

Exclusion Criteria

• Having any type of malign disease,
• Being diagnosed with a systemic disease (cardiologic, gastrointestinal, rheumatological, neurological, etc.),
• Having any type of surgery within the last 6 months,
• Being diagnosed with Whiplash syndrome
• Having an unhealed fracture
• Pregnancy
• Using prescribed medicine for the gastrointestinal system

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 50 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Hacettepe University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Yasemin Özel Aslıyüce

Research Assistant

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Utku Berberoğlu, MSc

Role: STUDY_CHAIR

Hacettepe University

Özgün Uysal, MSc

Role: STUDY_CHAIR

Hacettepe University

Özlem Ülger, Professor

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

Hacettepe University

Locations

Yasemin Özel Aslıyüce

Ankara, Sıhhiye, Turkey (Türkiye)

Countries

Turkey (Türkiye)

Other Identifiers

HUSpine014

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id