title: Educational program for myofascial pain syndrome.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Pingtung Christian Hospital, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shun-Yuan
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Choo-Aun
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Neoh
authors.forename: Yuan-Ting
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Kuo-Yang
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ho-Fu
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Hon-Yi
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: 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