Effects Of Integrated Neuromuscular Inhibition Technique On Upper Trapezius Trigger Points In Patients With Non-Specific Neck Pain

Neck pain is a common musculoskeletal disorder. The cause of neck pain is variable and can result from specific musculoskeletal conditions, infections, inflammatory conditions, trauma, rheumatic diseases, or congenital diseases. When neck pain is not attributed to a specific pathology, and is of a vague musculoskeletal origin which is difficult to identify, the condition is labelled non-specific. Up to 67% of world's population may present with non-specific neck pain at least once in their lives. Although the duration and course of the pain may vary, most patients experience chronic or recurrent pain. Evidence suggests that myofascial trigger points are commonly present in patients with non specific neck pain.

The myofascial trigger point ''a hyperirritable spot, usually within a taut band of skeletal muscle or in the muscle fascia which is painful on compression and can give rise to characteristic referred pain, motor dysfunction, and autonomic phenomena. Patients may have regional ,persistent pain resulting in decreased range of motion in the affected muscles. Trigger points may develop after an initial injury to muscle fibers. This injury may include a noticeable traumatic event or repetitive micro trauma to the muscles. The trigger point causes pain and stress in the muscle or muscle fiber. As the stress increases, the muscles become fatigued and more susceptible to activation of additional trigger points. When predisposing factors combine with a triggering stress event, activation of a trigger point occurs. This theory is known as the ''injury pool theory'.

Trigger points are classified as active or latent. Active myofascial trigger point is spontaneously painful and gives rise to a number of well described symptoms: local and/or referred pain; muscle weakness and tightness. Latent myofascial trigger points on the other hand, are generally considered minor, sub-clinical neuromuscular lesions that are pain-free unless compressed though shown to be associated with increased sensitivity to muscle stretch, decreased strength. In the upper quadrant, postural muscles, in general, and the upper trapezius , in particular, are most affected by trigger points .It extends from the external protuberance of the occipital bone to the lower thoracic vertebrae and laterally to the spine of the scapula. The trapezius has upper, middle, and lower groups of fibers. Neck pain is provoked by trigger points of trapezius.Patients with trigger points of trapezius usually present with neck pain,decreased cervical range of motion,tightness of trapezius Various treatment techniques that are utilized for treating trigger points are LASER , dry needling, ultrasound, TENS, trigger point pressure release /ischemic compression, muscle energy technique , myofascial release therapy , positional release therapy i.e. strain counter strain technique and integrated neuromuscular inhibitory technique.The integrated neuromuscular inhibition technique is a manual deactivation trigger points technique and includes the application of ischemic compression, muscle energy technique and strain counter strain technique. Ischemic compression ('inhibition') is applied to an active trigger point by means of direct finger or thumb pressure until local or referred pain begins to modify. Following this, the tissues in which the trigger point lies are positioned in such a way as to modify the pain . After 90 seconds the patient is asked to introduce an isometric contraction into the tissues and to hold this for 7-10 seconds. This recruits the precise fibers which had been repositioned to obtain the positional release. These previously hypertonic or fibrotic tissues are then stretched so that the specifically targeted fibers are lengthened. A rhythmic activation of antagonist muscles in a series of 'pulsed' contractions is a useful final stage of this sequence.