Restoration of normal central pain processing following manual therapy in nonspecific chronic neck pain.

Objective: To determine if a 4-week manual therapy treatment restores normal functioning of central pain processing mechanisms in non-specific chronic neck pain (NSCNP), as well as the existence of a possible relationship between changes in pain processing mechanisms and clinical outcome.

Design: Cohort study.

Methods: Sixty-three patients with NSCNP, comprising 79% female, with a mean age of 45.

Enhanced Pronociceptive and Disrupted Antinociceptive Mechanisms in Nonspecific Chronic Neck Pain.

Objective: Evidence suggests altered pronociceptive and antinociceptive mechanisms in many chronic pain conditions. Knowledge about these mechanisms in nonspecific chronic neck pain (NSNP) would improve understanding of the causes and the design of more effective treatments. Pressure pain threshold (PPT) is often used to assess presence of altered nociceptive processing in NSNP; however, its usefulness to detect this is yet to be established.