Dry needle stimulation of myofascial trigger points evokes segmental anti-nociceptive effects.
OBJECTIVE
To test the hypothesis that dry needle stimulation of a myofascial trigger point (sensitive locus) evokes segmental anti-nociceptive effects.


METHODS
Double-blind randomized controlled trial.


METHODS
Forty subjects (21 males, 19 females).


METHODS
Test subjects received intramuscular dry needle puncture to a right supraspinatus trigger point (C4,5); controls received sham intramuscular dry needle puncture. Pain pressure threshold (PPT) readings were recorded from right infraspinatus (C5,6) and right gluteus medius (L4,5S1) trigger points at 0 (pre-needling baseline), 1, 3, 5, 10 and 15 min post-needling and normalized to baseline values. The supraspinatus and infraspinatus trigger points are neurologically linked at C5; the supraspinatus and gluteus medius are segmentally unrelated. The difference between the infraspinatus and gluteus medius PPT values (PPTseg) represents a direct measure of the segmental anti-nociceptive effects acting at the infraspinatus trigger point.


RESULTS
Significant increases in PPTseg were observed in test subjects at 3 (p = 0.002) and 5 (p = 0.015) min post-needling, compared with controls.


CONCLUSIONS
One intervention of dry needle stimulation to a single trigger point (sensitive locus) evokes short-term segmental anti-nociceptive effects. These results suggest that trigger point (sensitive locus) stimulation may evoke anti-nociceptive effects by modulating segmental mechanisms, which may be an important consideration in the management of myofascial pain.
Srbely
John Z
JZ
Department of Human Health and Nutritional Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1 , Canada. jsrbely@uoguelph.ca
Dickey
James P
JP
Lee
David
D
Lowerison
Mark
M
D015667:Acupuncture Analgesia / Q000379:methods*; D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000328:Adult; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009209:Myofascial Pain Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D009339:Needles; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000502:physiology; D011677:Punctures / Q000295:instrumentation