A study depicted that upper cervical spine manual therapy (MT) prolonged certain nociceptive response latencies, indicating an inhibitory effect in migraine and neck pain subjects. Researchers aimed to investigate the impact of upper cervical spine MT on the blink reflex (BR) in people grappling with both migraine and neck pain.

Overall, 20 participants were divided into two groups: the medication plus MT (MedMT) group, consisting of 10 individuals, and the medication plus sham MT (sham MT) group, also comprising 10 participants. Following random allocation, all the subjects underwent initial BR testing, which included assessments of R1, R2, and R2c responses. Subsequently, volunteers in MedMT and sham MT groups underwent either 4 sessions of MT or sham MT applied to the upper cervical spine. Upon completing the intervention, BR testing was conducted once more.

There were no substantial differences in R1 latency between sham MT and MT groups. However, R2 latencies were notably prolonged in the MedMT group in comparison with the sham MT group for both sides. In contrast with the sham MT group, individuals in the MedMT group displayed profound extensions in right and left R2c latency.

Upper cervical MT had a discernible impact on trigeminal nociceptive neurotransmission in individuals dealing with both migraine and neck pain, as reflected by alterations in the BR. The observed prolongation of late response latencies in the BR strongly suggests that upper cervical spine MT exerts an inhibitory influence on the trigeminocervical complex in these particular subjects.