title: Myofascial trigger point needling for whiplash associated pain--a feasibility study.
abstract: Clinicians claim that myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) are a primary cause of pain in whiplash injured patients. Pain from MTrPs is often treated by needling, with or without injection. We conducted a placebo controlled study to test the feasibility of a phase III randomised controlled trial investigating the efficacy of MTrP needling in patients with whiplash associated pain. Forty-one patients referred for physiotherapy with a recent whiplash injury, were recruited. Patients were randomised to receive standardised physiotherapy plus either acupuncture or a sham needle control. A trial was judged feasible if: i) the majority of eligible patients were willing to participate; ii) the majority of patients had MTrPs; iii) at least 75% of patients provided completed self-assessment data; iv) no serious adverse events were reported and v) the end of treatment attrition rate was less than 20%. 70% of those patients eligible to participate volunteered to do so; all participants had clinically identified MTrPs; a 100% completion rate was achieved for recorded self-assessment data; no serious adverse events were reported as a result of either intervention; and the end of treatment attrition rate was 17%. A phase III study is both feasible and clinically relevant. This study is currently being planned.
authors.affiliation: Primary Care, Peninsula Medical School, University of Exeter, UK. liz.tough@pms.ac.uk
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Tough
authors.forename: Adrian R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Suzanne H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Richards
authors.forename: John L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Campbell
mesh_terms: D015667:Acupuncture Analgesia / Q000379:methods*; D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000328:Adult; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009209:Myofascial Pain Syndromes / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D009334:Neck Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009339:Needles; D009790:Occupations; D010147:Pain Measurement; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014911:Whiplash Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D055815:Young Adult