Comparative Effectiveness of Intermittent Neuromuscular Versus Dietary Intervention (Fruits and Vegetables) as Complementary Interventions in a Patient with Cervicogenic Headache: A Case Study

Abstract Background: Cervicogenic Headache (CGH) is a symptomatic headache disorder originating from cervical spine musculoskeletal impairment in functional capacity. Complementary investigations, such as Intermittent Neuromuscular Technique (INMT) and nutrition-based interventions, may provide additional clinical benefits. Objective: To assess and contrast the clinical effectiveness of INMT vs nutritional impairments prioritising nutrient consumption of fruits and vegetables, together with standard non-invasive management, in alleviating pain, enhancing functional capacity, and reducing headache incidence in a patient with CGH. Methods: A 32-year-old male with prolonged both-sided CGH received an eight-week treatment program combining INMT integrated with non-invasive management and a simultaneous nutritional treatment strategy intended to increase fruit and vegetable intake. Evaluation criteria included the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), headache frequency, Neck Disability Index (NDI), and the short form-36 (SF-36) quality-of-life questionnaire. Results: After INMT, the VAS score decreased from 7/10 to 3/10, headache frequency decreased from 5 to 1 episode per week, and the NDI improved from 18/50 to 8/50. Dietary intervention resulted in a VAS decrement to 4/10, a headache frequency of 2 episodes per week and an NDI of 18/50 to 10/50, indicating a cumulative therapeutic effect. Conclusion: INMT facilitates focused reduction in neuromuscular discomfort, modifications improve overall health, and interactively enhance symptom relief in CGH. Multifaceted approaches present extreme effectiveness and require additional verification via comparison with increased sample sizes