Comparison of miniscalpel-needle release, acupuncture needling, and stretching exercise to trigger point in myofascial pain syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is one of the most common causes of chronic musculoskeletal pain. Several methods have been recommended for the inactivation of trigger points (TrPs). We carried out this study to investigate the effectiveness of miniscalpel-needle (MSN) release and acupuncture needling and self neck-stretching exercises on myofascial TrPs of the upper trapezius muscle.


METHODS
Eighty-three TrPs in 43 patients with MPS were treated and randomly assigned to 3 groups: group 1 received MSN release in conjunction with self neck-stretching exercises; group 2 received acupuncture needling treatment and performed self neck-stretching exercises; and group 3, the control group, was assigned self neck-stretching exercises only. The therapeutic effectiveness was evaluated using subjective pain intensity (PI) with a visual analog scale, pressure pain threshold (PPT), and contralateral bending range of motion (ROM) of cervical spine at pretreatment, 2 weeks, and 3 months after treatment.


RESULTS
The improvement of PI, PPT, and contralateral bending ROM of cervical spine was significantly greater in group 1 and 2 than that in control group at 2 weeks and 3 months follow-up. Compared with group 2, patients in group 1 had a statistically significant reduction in PI, an increase in PPT, contralateral bending ROM of cervical spine at 3 months follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
The effectiveness of MSN release for MPS is superior to that of acupuncture needling treatment or self neck-stretching exercises alone. The MSN release is also safe, without severe side effects in treatment of MPS.
Ma
Chao
C
Pain Treatment Centre of Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
Wu
Shaoling
S
Li
Guoqi
G
Xiao
Xiuhong
X
Mai
Mingquan
M
Yan
Tiebin
T
D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D052580:Muscle Stretching Exercises; D009209:Myofascial Pain Syndromes / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000628:therapy*; D009334:Neck Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology; D009339:Needles; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017288:Pain Threshold; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome