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Not yet recruitingNCT06646081Updated Oct 17, 2024

The Impact of Greater Occipital Nerve and Stellate Ganglion Block Treatments on Sleep in Chronic Headache Management

An interventional study of Greater Occipital Nerve Block and Stellate Ganglion Block in Chronic Headache, Chronic Headache Disorder and Migraine, sponsored by Ankara Etlik City Hospital. Not yet recruiting at 1 site in Turkey. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 50 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2024-10-17.

Primary conditionMigraine DisordersRegistry: Headache DisordersReclassifiedWhy we changed it
Registry
Headache Disorders — the first condition term the registry derived for this study.
ClinicalTrials.gg
Migraine Disorders
Why
  1. The study's listed conditions name Migraine Disorders, a narrower term within Headache Disorders.
Confidence
High: the new condition is named in the study's own listed conditions. Of 351 hand-checked studies reclassified this way, 68% were exactly right and 84% in the right disease family; the registry's first term was right for 5% (measured 2026-10-21). How we classify →
Wrong?
Tell us the study's main condition →

Sponsored by Ankara Etlik City Hospital · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

From the registry’s dates

  • Primary completion was expected by Jun 2025, 1 year 4 months ago, but the record still lists the study as not yet recruiting.
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
86
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 50 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This study aims to evaluate the effect of Greater Occipital Nerve and Stellate Ganglion block treatments on sleep in patients with chronic headaches. Patients will be assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Insomnia Severity Index, and Visual Analog Scale at the time of treatment and at 4 and 8 weeks post-procedure. The study will compare the sleep improvement effects of both treatments to help guide clinicians in selecting the most effective interventional method. Demographic and clinical data will also be collected and analyzed for statistical comparison.

Read the detailed description

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of Greater Occipital Nerve and Stellate Ganglion blockade treatments, used in the treatment of chronic headache, on sleep. These treatments were administered in two sessions, one week apart, for chronic headache. The goal is to compare the treatments using scales at the time of application and at the fourth and eighth weeks after the last procedure.

The improvement effect of Greater Occipital Nerve block on sleep quality scales has recently been reported in several studies in the literature. However, the efficacy of Stellate Ganglion block, a proven method for headache treatment, in these areas has not yet been studied, and its effect on sleep improvement will be investigated.

It is believed that determining the superiority of the interventional methods used on sleep, based on scales, will assist clinicians in decision-making when performing the procedure.

Patients with chronic headache (lasting more than 3 months) who undergo Greater Occipital Nerve or Stellate Ganglion blockade at the clinic will be evaluated. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Insomnia Severity Index will be applied immediately after the procedure and at the 4th and 8th weeks following the last procedure. The Visual Analog Scale (VAS) will be obtained from clinic notes for the pre-procedure value and will be repeated at the 4th and 8th weeks post-procedure. The administration of scales will be conducted at Etlik City Hospital Algology Clinic. Patients will be evaluated either during outpatient follow-up or by phone. This study will not include sensitive or vulnerable patient groups. Demographic characteristics (age, gender, height, weight, BMI, alcohol, and smoking habits), comorbidities (obesity, restless legs, psychiatric disorders, sleep disorders, medications), and the scores from the mentioned scales will be recorded and statistically compared.

02

Conditions studied

  • Chronic Headache
  • Chronic Headache Disorder
  • Migraine

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Keywords

  • stellate ganglion block
  • greater occipital nerve block
03

In context

Migraine Disorders Reclassified

1,657 studies on the registry are indexed under Migraine Disorders; 339 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 86 is close to the median of 80 across 1,269 interventional studies indexed under Migraine Disorders.

Browse Migraine Disorders studies →

Lead sponsor

Ankara Etlik City Hospital is the lead sponsor of 176 studies on the registry; 77 are open to participants now.

Compared within Migraine Disorders, this study's primary condition as ClinicalTrials.gg classifies it; the registry's first condition term is Headache Disorders. The counts are of registry records indexed under each term, refreshed daily. How we classify →

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 50 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • Chronic headache unresponsive to conservative treatment
  • Male and female population aged 18-50
  • No prior interventional procedures during the treatment process

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Coagulation disorders
  • Infections at the procedure site
  • Allergy to local anesthesia
  • Socio-cultural inadequacy
  • Mental retardation
  • Pregnancy
  • Previous interventional procedures
  • Patient refusal of interventional procedure
  • Use of any sleep-improving medication within the last month
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Single (Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
86 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Active comparator
    Greater Occipital Nerve Block Group

    Greater Occipital Nerve Block for Chronic Headache

    Procedure: Greater Occipital Nerve Block

  • Active comparator
    Stellate Ganglion Block Group

    Stellate Ganglion Block for Chronic Headache

    Procedure: Stellate Ganglion Block

Interventions

  • ProcedureGreater Occipital Nerve Block

    The patient is placed prone with the head neutral or slightly flexed. After sterile preparation, a high-frequency linear probe is positioned transversely at the upper nuchal line in the occipital region. The Greater Occipital Nerve, exiting from the posterior root of C2, is located near the occipital artery. Using an in-plane technique, a 25-gauge needle is inserted into the fascial plane around the artery. After confirming no intravascular placement by negative aspiration, 5 mL of a mixture of 50 mg lidocaine and isotonic saline is injected. The fascial plane opening confirms the site. The area is dressed, and the patient is monitored for one hour for side effects.

  • ProcedureStellate Ganglion Block

    The patient lies supine with a pillow under the shoulders, and the head slightly extended, neck gently turned opposite to the blockade. After sterile preparation, a high-frequency linear probe is placed transversely at the C6 vertebra (Chassaignac's tubercle). Ultrasound identifies the C6 vertebra, Longus colli muscle, carotid artery, and internal jugular vein. The Stellate Ganglion is located within the prevertebral fascia over the Longus colli. Using an in-plane technique, a 25-gauge needle is inserted and advanced into the prevertebral fascial plane. After confirming no intravascular placement by negative aspiration, 5 mL of 50 mg lidocaine and isotonic saline is injected. The fascial plane opening confirms the site. The area is dressed, and the patient is monitored for one hour for side effects.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index

    The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index is a questionnaire designed to assess sleep quality and disturbances over a one-month period. It consists of 19 self-rated questions and 5 questions rated by a bed partner or roommate (if available), which are not included in the score. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index generates seven component scores, which are combined to produce a global score ranging from 0 to 21, with higher scores indicating worse sleep quality. A score greater than 5 indicates poor sleep quality.assess sleep quality and disturbances over a one-month period.

    Time frame: Change from baseline to 1st and 2nd month after treatment

  2. Insomnia Severity Index

    The Insomnia Severity Index is a self-reported questionnaire designed to assess the severity of insomnia symptoms and their impact on daily functioning. The Insomnia Severity Index consists of 7 items that assess the severity of sleep onset, sleep maintenance difficulties, early morning awakenings, satisfaction with sleep, interference with daily functioning, noticeability of impairment attributed to sleep problems, and the level of distress caused by sleep difficulties. The total Insomnia Severity Index score ranges from 0 to 28, with higher scores indicating more severe insomnia.

    Time frame: Change from baseline to 1st and 2nd month after treatment

Secondary outcomes

  1. Numeric Rating Scale

    Numeric Rating Scale is a scale that can be used measuring pain. Scores range from 0 (no pain) to 10 (the worst pain)

    Time frame: Change from baseline to 1st and 2nd month after treatment

07

Study locations

1 site
08

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Oct 17, 2024, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT06646081
Responsible party
Ufuk Turan, MD (Principal Investigator, Ankara Etlik City Hospital) — Principal investigator
First posted
Oct 17, 2024
Start date
Nov 15, 2024 (estimated)
Primary completion
Jun 15, 2025 (estimated)
Completion
Jul 15, 2025 (estimated)
Last update
Oct 17, 2024

Study contacts

Ufuk Turan
Contact
drufukturan@gmail.com
+905395594772 ext. TR
Gevher Rabia Genc Perdecioglu
study chair · Ankara Etlik City Hospital

Oversight

FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Oct 2024. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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