Neck neuromuscular treatment for depressive disorders with cervical muscular tension or chronic neck pain—A pilot study

BACKGROUND: An intimate relationship between depressive disorders and chronic pain is well known but often neglected. We studied patients with depressive disorders accompanying cervical muscular tension or neck pain. They also complaints of various physical, psychosomatic, and psychiatric signs such as anxiety and non-specific complaints related to autonomic imbalance. These complaints or symptoms are commonly resistant to pharmacological treatment, and thus we tried to treat these conditions by reducing their cervical muscular tension or pain. METHODS: We evaluated 30 complaints of 138 patients suffering from depressive disorders with cervical muscular abnormality (52 men and 86 women). The presence of the 30 complaints was evaluated as ‘positive’ or ‘negative’ before and during treatment. The necks of all patients were treated using low-frequency stimulation, micro-wave therapies, electric needle application, and acupuncture. RESULTS: Reducing cervical muscular tension remitted or cured the 30 complaints including depressive mood. The reduction of cervical muscle pain or tension initially ameliorated the depressive symptoms and anxiety, and subsequently improved their autonomic imbalances. Discriminant analysis of the first and second examinations correctly classified 95.3% of original grouped cases. CONCLUSION: Reducing cervical muscular tension is an effective treatment for patients suffering from depressive disorders with cervical neuromuscular pain or rigidity.