Effect of Relaxation on the Autonomic Functions in Cervical Spondylosis

[pattismith]

Effect of Relaxation on the Autonomic Functions in Cervical Spondylosis.


Verma Chhaya1, Vijaya Krishnan2* 1Professor, Department of physiotherapy, Seth GS medical college & KEM Municipal Hospital, Parel, Mumbai, INDIA. 2Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College & General Hospital, Sion, Mumbai, INDIA.

ABSTRACT

Background: The Autonomic Nervous System is a control system that regulates bodily functions. Through its sympathetic & para-sympathetic divisions it exerts a rapid & effective control over internal tasks such as arterial blood pressure, cardiac regulation, body temperature, respiratory rate etc.

Cervical spondylosis is a degenerative joint disorder affecting the intervertebral joint 7 the interposing discs.

Researchers have suggested the implications of the sympathetic elements on the cervical spinal nerves in the mechanism of referred pain & tissue changes in the shoulder & arm.

Relaxation is any activity that helps an individual to attain a state of increased calmness & reduce pain levels, anxiety & stress.

Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze the effects of relaxation on the autonomic functions in cervical spondylosis patients.

Methodology: 70 individuals (age group – 30-60 years) participating in the study were divided into 35 normal subjects as Control Group & 35 patients suffering from Cervical Spondylosis.

The subjects of both groups were assessed for pain, anxiety & depression & autonomic functions (orthostatic blood pressure, response to cold pressor, sympathetic skin response).

The data was collected & analyzed by Students’ t test.

Results: Comparison between control & patient group showed highly significant in scores for pain, anxiety & autonomic functions tested.

Also, when compared pre & post relaxation therapy the results within the patient population was highly significant. When post relaxation compared to control group, latency showed statistically non-significant results.

Conclusion: Autonomic dysfunction was observed in cervical spondylosis patients. Relaxation therapy achieves symptomatic relief & has a favorable effect on latent autonomic dysfunction. Hence, it should be incorporated in the management of chronic pain in cervical spondylosis.

 

[valentinelynx]

Interesting, but need a comparison between pain patients with and without cervical spine disease (spondylosis is a vague term covering age related changes to the vertebrae, facet joints and intervetrebral discs). I would imagine relaxation helps with symptomatic relief in most pain patients, and autonomic dysfunction may occur in painful syndromes other than cervical spine disease.

 

[pattismith]

Interesting, but need a comparison between pain patients with and without cervical spine disease (spondylosis is a vague term covering age related changes to the vertebrae, facet joints and intervetrebral discs). I would imagine relaxation helps with symptomatic relief in most pain patients, and autonomic dysfunction may occur in painful syndromes other than cervical spine disease.

I found two interesting points in this paper:

-autonomic fonctions impairments more and more well identified and studied in cervical pathologies.
-muscle relaxation improves cervicogenic neurological symptoms.

unfortunately these studies doesn't really show if the cervical stenosis is involved in the symptoms, nor if cervical instability is involved, we are far from it.

But another study in a clinic in Japan
https://forums.phoenixrising.me/threads/89-of-general-dizziness-is-cervicogenic.76808/#post-2214095

showed that muscle relaxant drugs improve cervicogenic dizziness in a short time (one or two weeks), so even if these studies doesn't uncover the causes and effects, it gives hopes to relieve some of our most debilitant symptoms with only relaxant methods or relaxant drugs.
I think the Indian study studied blood pressures modifications, whereas the japanese study takes only dizziness symptoms into account dizziness, lightheadedness, tension headache, tinnitus, vertigo, etc). Many patients into the japanese study had spondylosis too and 91% had cervical stenosis.
There is a free access to both of these papers, so I wish I will go deeper into it when I will have more energy and time left.