Ultrasound-Guided Dry Needling for Headaches

This study is looking at how a treatment called dry needling might help people with headaches, including tension-type, migraine, and cervicogenic (neck-related) headaches. Dry needling involves inserting very thin needles into tight muscles, specifically the rectus capitus posterior major muscles at the base of your skull, which can contribute to headaches. Researchers will use ultrasound to guide the needles and test two different insertion angles (30 degrees and 45 degrees). They want to see if this treatment reduces headache pain and disability. You might be able to join if you are between 18 and 65 years old, have had headaches in the last six months, and have tenderness in your neck muscles. The study will measure how much soreness you feel after needling, your pain levels, and how headaches affect your daily life. The current status of this study is unclear.

Study design
This is a single-arm study, meaning all participants will receive the dry needling intervention. It plans to enroll 50 participants.
What's involved
You will have one study visit lasting about 60 minutes. During this visit, you will be screened, complete pain and disability questionnaires, and receive the dry needling procedure.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Your post-needling soreness, pain levels, and headache disability will be measured again 24-48 hours after the data collection session.

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NCT07309874

Effect of Ultrasound-Guided Dry Needling Targeting Rectus Capitus Posterior Major on Individuals With Headaches

Recruiting
NAAges 18–65InterventionalTreatment
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
~50 participants
Updated 2026-04-01 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Dry needling

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Post-needling soreness
Measured over 24-48 hours post-data collection
+2 more outcomes measured
Headache Disorders, Primary
Headache, Cervicogenic
1 sites across 1 states
Texas1
  • Gary A Kearns, PT, ScD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

Reports of a headache within the last 6 months (no minimum or maximum frequency or duration)
Current reports of headache
Tenderness to palpation of suboccipital muscles with Numeric Pain Rating Scale score ≥ 2/10
No history of cervical spine surgery or neurological disorders

Exclusion

History of cervical spine trauma or surgery
Diagnosed bleeding disorder
Currently using anticoagulant medications
Currently using anti-platelet medications
Diagnosed systemic joint diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis
Active infection
Diabetes
Cancer
Fibromyalgia
Cervical radiculopathy
Inability to tolerate prone positioning for the duration of the procedure.
  • Post-needling soreness24-48 hours post-data collection

    Subjective outcome measures: • Post-data collection reports of post-needling soreness (Dichotomous report: Yes or No)

  • Numeric Pain Rating ScaleBaseline immediately pre-data collection and then again 24-48 hours post-data collection

    Numeric Pain Rating Scale (0 = no pain; 10 = worst pain): Pre-data collection will include Current rating, Best rating in past 6 months, and Worst rating in past 6 months. Post-data collection will include Current rating, Best rating in past 24-48 hours, and Worst rating in past 24-48 hours

  • Headache Disability IndexBaseline immediately pre-data collection and then again 24-48 hours post-data collection

    Headache Disability Index: Scores range from 0 to 100. A total score of 10-28 is considered mild disability. A total score of 30-48 is considered moderate disability. A total score of 50-68 is severe disability. A total score of 72-100 is considered complete disability. Participants will complete the Headache Disability Index immediately pre-data collection and then 24-48 hours post-data collection