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Perceptual Distortions in Acute Neck Pain

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Pain, Acute
Neck Pain, Posterior
Interventions
Other: Saline injection
Other: Sham injection
Registration Number
NCT03495076
Lead Sponsor
The Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education in Katowice
Brief Summary

Research has shown that chronic pain is related to variety of perceptual distortions. Little is known on how acute pain experience influences perception, especially precision of touch. This project is aiming to test the hypothesis of pain as a process of biological value leading to improvement in tactile acuity.

Detailed Description

This project has following goals:

1. To test the hypothesis of pain as a process of biological value leading to improvement in tactile acuity

2. To investigate intra-rater reliability of tests measuring perceptual distortions in pain

3. To investigate validity of novel tests measuring perceptual distortions in pain

4. To explore the influence of acute neck pain on left/right recognition task

5. To explore the effect of acute neck pain on body perception

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
30
Inclusion Criteria
  • Only participants without tactile dysfunction will be included.
  • Participants reporting availability during the days in which the research will be performed.
Exclusion Criteria
  • current pain experience
  • episodes of neck
  • thoracic or lumbar pain lasting more than 24 hours within previous month
  • history of chronic pain, i.e. pain lasting more than three-month period
  • comorbidities affecting nervous system
  • cardio-vascular diseases
  • psychiatric illnesses
  • any disease requiring systematic drug consumption
  • diagnosed scoliosis.

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
SEQUENTIAL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Saline injectionSaline injectionIn the saline condition, acute neck pain will be induced via 0.5 ml hypertonic (5% NaCl) saline solution.
Sham injectionSham injectionIn the sham injection condition, a real needle will be shown to the participants to imitate and produce the anticipation of a pain experience.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Tactile acuity measured by two-point discrimination test (TPD).TPD change from baseline at 30 seconds post-manipulation period (e.g. saline injection).

Mechanical callipers will be delicately applied to the spot just below the location where real or sham injection will be administered. Tactile stimuli will be applied until the very first blanching of the skin. Testing will be commenced with 0 mm between the two calliper's tips, and then the distance between them will be gradually increased until participants will able to verbally report that two points had been touched instead of one. Subsequently, the descending sequence will be applied until the perception of the two points disappeared.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Sensory dissociation measured by two-point estimation task (TPE).Measured at baseline and ~30 seconds after manipulation (e.g. saline injection).

One tactile stimulus will be applied until the very first blanching of the skin, with a 120 mm horizontal separation between the calipers' tips. Participants will be then asked to indicate with their calipers the distance they have perceived.

Laterality judgements measured by left/right recognition application.Measured at baseline and ~30 seconds after manipulation (e.g. saline injection).

A set of images displaying human neck in different orientation in space will be show to participants. The goal of the task is to decide whether given picture depicts neck rotated to the left or right or flexed into left o right side. The accuracy and response time is measured.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

The Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education

🇵🇱

Katowice, Poland

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