Dry Needling Dosage in the Treatment of Myofascial Neck Pain

Effects of Different Deep Dry Needling Dosages on Pain and Postneedling Soreness in the Treatment of Patients With Cervical Myofascial Pain

The purpose of this study are (1) to determine the effectiveness of different dry needling dosages in the treatment of myofascial trigger points in the upper trapezius muscle in patients with myofascial neck pain, (2) to assess postneedling soreness and tenderness and (3) evaluate the influence of psychological factors on the perception of postneedling soreness.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Neck Pain
• Intervention / Treatment: Procedure: Control; Procedure: Dry needling

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 94
• Phase: Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 53 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosis of an active myofascial trigger point. Neck pain: Superior to 3 cm in VAS

Exclusion Criteria:

• Neck area: Fracture, radiculopathy, previous surgery, previous needling treatment in the last 6 months, previous analgesic medication (24 hours), psychiatric disease

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

4

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Dry needling: 4 local twitch responses; Deep dry needling in the active myofascial trigger point in the upper trapezius muscle. The muscle fibers were repeatedly perforated by rapidly inserting and partially withdrawing the needle from the MTrP until 4 local twitch responses were elicited.	Procedure: Dry needling
Experimental: Dry needling: 6 local twitch responses; Deep dry needling in the active myofascial trigger point in the upper trapezius muscle. The muscle fibers were repeatedly perforated by rapidly inserting and partially withdrawing the needle from the MTrP until 6 local twitch responses were elicited.	Procedure: Dry needling
Experimental: Dry needling: Until no more local twitch responses elicited; Deep dry needling in the active myofascial trigger point in the upper trapezius muscle. The muscle fibers were repeatedly perforated by rapidly inserting and partially withdrawing the needle from the MTrP until no more local twitch responses were elicited.	Procedure: Dry needling
Active Comparator: Control; The needle was inserted 1.5 cm away from the trigger point in the trapezius muscle and withdrawn without any consecutive insertion.	Procedure: Control

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Pain	Visual analog scale. A 100mm VAS, ranging from 0mm (no pain) to 100mm (worst imaginable pain).	1 week
Postneedling soreness	Visual analog scale. A 100mm VAS, ranging from 0mm (no pain) to 100mm (worst imaginable pain).	1 week

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Pressure pain threshold	Three consecutive trials of pressure pain threshold on the active trigger point at a rate of 1 kg/sec at intervals of 30 seconds were conducted.	1 week
Cervical range of motion	The subjects sat in a chair and a CROM goniometer was placed over the head. They were asked to perform active neck movements to the fullest extent of their mobility. Each movement was recorded three times and the average value was calculated.	1 week
Neck disability	Neck Disability Index questionnarie was completed.	1 week
Pain in cervical range of motion	Pain in a numerical pain rating scale during all cervical movements was recorded.	1 week
Psychological factors	State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-T)	Pre-intervention
Psychological factors	Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II)	Pre-intervention
Psychological factors	Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia	Pre-intervention
Psychological factors	Pain Catastrophizing Scale	Pre-intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Universidad Rey Juan Carlos

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Martin-Pintado-Zugasti A, Fernandez-Carnero J, Leon-Hernandez JV, Calvo-Lobo C, Beltran-Alacreu H, Alguacil-Diego I, Gallego-Izquierdo T, Pecos-Martin D. Postneedling Soreness and Tenderness After Different Dosages of Dry Needling of an Active Myofascial Trigger Point in Patients With Neck Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial. PM R. 2018 Dec;10(12):1311-1320. doi: 10.1016/j.pmrj.2018.05.015. Epub 2018 May 29.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: September 1, 2013
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 1, 2014
• Study Completion (Actual): December 1, 2015

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 4, 2014
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 11, 2014
• First Posted (Estimate): July 15, 2014

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): December 6, 2017
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 5, 2017
• Last Verified: December 1, 2017

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Neck Pain
• Other Study ID Numbers: 16/2013