Neurophysiological and clinical effects of dry needling in patients with upper trapezius myofascial trigger points.
BACKGROUND
Dry needling (DN) is a widely used in treatment of myofascial trigger points (MTrPs). The purpose of this pretest-posttest clinical trial was to investigate the neurophysiological and clinical effects of DN in patients with MTrPs.


METHODS
A sample of 20 patients (3 man, 17 women; mean age 31.7 ± 10.8) with upper trapezius MTrPs received one session of deep DN. The outcomes of neuromuscular junction response (NMJR), sympathetic skin response (SSR), pain intensity (PI) and pressure pain threshold (PPT) were measured at baseline and immediately after DN.


RESULTS
There were significant improvements in SSR latency and amplitude, pain, and PPT after DN. The NMJR decreased and returned to normal after DN.


CONCLUSIONS
A single session of DN to the active upper trapezius MTrP was effective in improving pain, PPT, NMJR, and SSR in patients with myofascial trigger points. Further studies are needed.
Department of Physiotherapy, School of Rehabilitation, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran. Electronic address: abbaszadeh_m@alumnus.tums.ac.ir.
Maryam
M
Abbaszadeh-Amirdehi
Department of Physiotherapy, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Noureddin Nakhostin
NN
Ansari
Department of Physiotherapy, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Soofia
S
Naghdi
Department of Physiotherapy, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Gholamreza
G
Olyaei
Department of Physical Therapy, University of North Georgia, Dahlonega, Georgia, USA.
Mohammad Reza
MR
Nourbakhsh
D000328:Adult; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009209:Myofascial Pain Syndromes / Q000628:therapy*; D009339:Needles; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017288:Pain Threshold; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D012867:Skin / Q000503:physiopathology; D064171:Superficial Back Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004561:Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation; D061028:Trigger Points / Q000503:physiopathology*
Dry needling; Myofascial trigger point; Neuromuscular junction response; Sympathetic skin response