Tongue pressure in middle-aged and older adults with chronic neck pain

Tongue Pressure in Middle-Aged and Elderly Individuals With Chronic Cervical Pain

This project will test whether people aged 50–65 with chronic neck pain have reduced tongue pressure and how different head/neck positions change tongue strength.

Quick facts

• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 40 (estimated)
• Ages: 50 Years to 65 Years
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (Academic / other)
• Drugs / interventions: radiation
• Locations: 1 site (Taipei)
• Trial ID: NCT07021586 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This cross-sectional study will compare maximal tongue pressure between 40 middle-aged and elderly participants (age 50–65) with chronic cervical pain and matched healthy controls. Tongue pressure will be measured during a single in-person visit in different cranio-cervical positions at the Orthopedic Laboratory of National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University. Demographic and oral status data (including denture use) will be recorded and analyses will use t-tests and mixed ANOVA to examine group differences and posture effects. The protocol excludes participants with recent head/neck surgery, neurological disease, or severe recent injuries and is designed as a single-session assessment to minimize missing data.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal participants are adults aged 50–65 who either have chronic cervical pain meeting the study's pain-duration and intensity criteria or are matched healthy controls without neck pain in the past six months.

Not a fit: Patients with neurological disorders affecting tongue function, recent head or neck surgery, severe recent neck injuries, diagnosed cervical radiculopathy or myelopathy, or those outside the 50–65 age range are unlikely to benefit from this study's findings.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could point to targeted neck or tongue exercises to improve swallowing or oral function in older adults with chronic neck pain.

How similar studies have performed: Previous small studies have linked head and neck posture to swallowing mechanics and tongue strength, but direct data specifically in middle-aged and elderly people with chronic cervical pain are limited.

Eligibility criteria

1\. Inclusion Criteria (chronic cervical pain group):

1. Aged between 50-65 year olds
2. Chronic neck pain (caused by specific neck movements or prolonged neck posture)
3. Cervical pain duration: at least 3 months within the past year
4. Cervical pain intensity: during activity or rest, as measured by the Numeric Pain Rating Scale, must have an average score of at least 3 over the past two weeks
5. No anti-inflammatory or painkillers can be used within 48 hours prior to the test

2\. Inclusion Criteria (healthy group):

1. Matching gender, age, and body mass index with those in the chronic cervical pain group
2. No cervical pain has occurred within the past 6 months

3\. Exclusion Criteria:

1. Neurological diseases that may affect tongue pressure readings, such as stroke or Parkinson's disease
2. Head or neck surgery in the past year
3. Severe head or neck injuries (e.g., whiplash from a car accident) in the past year
4. Diagnosed with cervical radiculopathy or myelopathy with symptoms in the form of numbness or tingling, or fail relative clinical tests (spurling's/ cervical distraction/ cervical rotation test/ upper limb tension test-1/ Hoffman sign)
5. History of head or neck deformities or cancer
6. History of head or neck radiation therapy
7. Diagnosed with dysphagia
8. Experience pain or restricted movement in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) during chewing in the last 6 months
9. Require anticonvulsants or antidepressant medications
10. Cognitive impairments preventing understanding of the test order or communication

Where this trial is running

Taipei

• National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University — Taipei, Taiwan (Recruiting)

Study contacts

• Study coordinator: Yi-Fen Shih, Professor

Conditions Cervical Pain, Posterior; Swallowing Difficulties; Swallowing Disorders