Educational program for myofascial pain syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to evaluate a program for managing myofascial pain syndrome (MPS).


METHODS
The study design was a randomized controlled trial.


METHODS
The setting was the pain clinic of an academic hospital in Taiwan.


METHODS
Sixty-two (62) patients with a 3-month or longer history of MPS who were treated at this institution from July to November 2007 were included in the study.


METHODS
The participants were randomized to an experimental group (n = 32) or a control group (n = 30). Both groups underwent trigger-point dry needling and muscle-stretch exercise regimen for passively stretching the affected muscles to their normal lengths; the experimental group then watched an 8-minute multimedia instructional video about MPS with supplemental handouts.


METHODS
The Brief Pain Inventory-Taiwan was administered at baseline and 1 month thereafter. The effect size model was used to measure the effects of Brief Pain Inventory-Taiwan. Bootstrap estimation was used to derive 95% confidence intervals for group differences.


RESULTS
Compared to the control group, the experimental group had significantly less interference of pain, lower intensity of present pain, and least pain (p < 0.05). Multiple regression analysis of patients with shoulder pain revealed significantly improved pain intensity and interference of pain (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The findings emphasize the importance of including patient education programs in MPS intervention.
Lin
Shun-Yuan
SY
Department of Anesthesiology, Pingtung Christian Hospital, Taiwan.
Neoh
Choo-Aun
CA
Huang
Yuan-Ting
YT
Wang
Kuo-Yang
KY
Ng
Ho-Fu
HF
Shi
Hon-Yi
HY
D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D052580:Muscle Stretching Exercises; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal; D009209:Myofascial Pain Syndromes / Q000628:therapy*; D009339:Needles; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012782:Shoulder; D013624:Taiwan; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014743:Videotape Recording