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Effectiveness of Lower Cervical Manual Traction versus Dry Needling Along With Soft Tissue Mobilization for Management of Unilateral Cervical Radiculopathy

. Dr.Viveka Kumari, Dr. Muhammad Amir, Dr. Rida Wahid, Dr. Bisma Khan & Dr. Syed Saif ul Haq


Abstract

Back ground: Cervical Radiculopathy (CR) is one of the most common causes of neck pain and disability. The reported annual incidence and prevalence of CR are 0.83‰ and 3.5‰ respective. Cervical radiculopathy is a dysfunction of a nerve root in the cervical spine, is a broad disorder with several mechanism.

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of lower cervical manual traction verses dry needling along with soft tissue mobilization for management of unilateral cervical radiculopathy.

Study setting: Study was conducted in physiotherapy OPD JPMC hospital Karachi. Subject and Method: An experimental study that compared pre and post intervention result within group and across group 40 patients suffering from cervical radiculopathy that were equally divided into group A and group B group A receive dry needling group B manual traction along with soft tissue mobilization. Neck pain was assessed with visual analogue scale (VAS), severity of CR was assessed with (GROC) and neck disability was assessed through neck disability index (NDI).

 

Results: After four weeks of intervention in both groups, the same parameters were re- assessed for any significant difference. Patients in group A, who received dry needling technique had reduction in VAS with mean 2.15 (± 0.98), increase in GROC with mean

5.05 (±1.14) and reduction in NDI with mean 20.5 (±4.84). Patients in group B who received manual traction had also reduction in VAS with mean 3.40 (± 0.99), increase in GROC with mean 4.25 (±1.40) and reduction in NDI with mean 26.20 (±5.94).

 

Conclusion: Our research findings dry needling technique proved to have better outcomes of reduction in pain and neck disability compared to manual traction in cervical   radiculopathy.

Keywords: Cervical radiculopathy, dry needling, Manual traction, Soft tissue mobilization.

 

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