Major Head, Neck And Shoulder Pain Study Targets Region With Nearly Five Million Inhabitants

Main Category: Pain / Anesthetics
Article Date: 25 Jun 2009 - 2:00 PDT

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Researchers at the University of Turin have launched a major initiative to prevent and reduce headaches, shoulder and neck pain, after workplace trials on an innovative cognitive and physical programme showed significant improvements.

Residents living in the north-west Italian region of Piedmont, with its population of just under five million, will have free access to the ground-breaking programme, which will be promoted using a special website.

In return they will be asked for information about how often they suffer from headaches, shoulder and neck pain and agree to take part in a one-year follow up. "The programme we are promoting consists of a series of short exercises and instructions on how to reduce excessive contraction of the facial and neck muscles during the day" explains lead researcher Professor Franco Mongini from the University's Headache and Facial Pain Unit, which is based in the region's capital, Turin.

"Previous research has shown that these contractions are a major contributory factor to an increase in headaches and pain in the neck and shoulder regions." The launch follows two studies of more than 2,300 local Government employees, primarily funded by the Compagnia di San Paolo in Turin, with additional funding from the Region of Piedmont.

In the first study, published in the May 2008 issue of Cephalalgia, the authors presented the results of almost 400 employees who had taken part in intervention and control groups.

This showed that the programme had reduced headaches by 41 per cent, shoulder and neck pain by 43 per cent and pain killer usage by 51 per cent. The long-term data from this study, published online by The Journal of Pain in April 2009 ahead of print, indicate that the benefits can be felt for a considerable time following the intervention. This study was followed up by a large-scale, as yet unpublished, study of 2,000 employees with equally impressive results.

Visitors to the study website will be able to watch a demonstration video and download a form with illustrations after they have provided details of any headache, shoulder and neck problems they experience. They will also have access to a dedicated email address so that they can ask any questions.

The video explains that if people contract their muscles too much it can cause pain and that the aim of the programme is to reduce contraction levels. It also explains how to perform brief shoulder and neck exercises several times a day, together with a relaxation exercise, and instructions on how to minimise muscle contractions during the day. "Headache and neck and shoulder pain are both a clinical challenge and a major health problem" stresses Professor Mongini whose work in this area has been widely published.

"Modern working practices which can include extensive computer usage appear to have exacerbated the problem. "For example, research published in 2007 suggested that the worldwide prevalence of headache was as high as 46 per cent in adults, with 11 per cent suffering from migraine, 42 per cent from tension headaches and three per cent from chronic daily headaches."

Professor Mongini is confident that employers and politicians will support this low-cost initiative. "Our previous large-scale studies have shown that the initiative reduces pain and the use of painkillers and has a positive effect on productivity in the workplace" he says. "We believe it will have considerable benefits for anyone who uses computers for work, study or pleasure, or spends a lot of time working at a desk. Our second study also showed that employees who undertake other types of work activities - such as kindergarden staff and local police officers - enjoyed consistent benefits.

"Although we are focusing this initiative on the Piedmont region of Italy in the first instance, we believe that this study will be of considerable interest to international headache and pain researchers, employers and employees alike."

Piedmont residents who are keen to take part in this major study - which is open to all members of the community, regardless of whether they work - can access the project between now and 24 June 2010 by visiting http://www.nomalditesta.it International visitors can also find out more information about this exciting initiative by visiting www.nomalditesta.it and clicking on the flag. Further information can also be found at http://www.francomongini.com

Source
Professor Mongini