Dry Needling Dosage in the Treatment of Myofascial Neck Pain

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Neck Pain
• Interventions: Procedure: Dry needling; Procedure: Control

• Registration Number: NCT02190890
• Lead Sponsor: Universidad Rey Juan Carlos

Brief Summary

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.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2013-09
• Primary Completion: 2014-05
• Study First Submitted: 2014-07-04
• Study First Submitted QC: 2014-07-11
• Study First Posted: 2014-07-15
• Study Completion: 2015-12
• Status Verified: 2017-12
• Last Update Submitted: 2017-12-05
• Last Update Posted: 2017-12-06

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 94

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 & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Dry needling: Until no more local twitch responses elicited	Dry needling	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.
Dry needling: 4 local twitch responses	Dry needling	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.
Dry needling: 6 local twitch responses	Dry needling	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.
Control	Control	The needle was inserted 1.5 cm away from the trigger point in the trapezius muscle and withdrawn without any consecutive insertion.

Primary Outcome Measures

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

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Psychological factors	Pre-intervention	Pain Catastrophizing Scale
Pressure pain threshold	1 week	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.
Pain in cervical range of motion	1 week	Pain in a numerical pain rating scale during all cervical movements was recorded.
Neck disability	1 week	Neck Disability Index questionnarie was completed.
Cervical range of motion	1 week	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.