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Dry Needling Effectiveness and Post-punction Pain

Benefits and Harms of Dry Needling vs Transcutaneous Nerve Stimulation and Dry Needling in Patients With Chronic Myofascial Neck Pain and Relationship With Psychological Influences

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT04148469
Enrollment
68
Registered
2019-11-01
Start date
2012-11-30
Completion date
2013-12-10
Last updated
2019-11-01

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Neck Pain

Keywords

Miofascial pain syndrom., Trigger point., Dry needling., Transcotaneous Nerve Stimuilation., Hipoalgesia

Brief summary

The purpose of this estudy was to dertermine if the application of Transcutaneous Nerve Stimiulation (TENS) current have an hypoalgesic effect on pattientes suffering from miofascial neck pain, compared with a only dry needling treatment. Psicological varaibles were also mesured in order to determine how they change after each treatment.

Detailed description

All patients suffered from mechanical neck pain and were randomized into three groups of treatment. A doible blinded control was carryed out. The main outcome messures were Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The scondary outcome messures were Pressure Pain hreshold (PPT) and Active Range of Movement (ROM). Also psicologicla messures were taken, like Neck Dissability Index, Level of stress and ansiety, Fear Pain and Pain Avoidance Strategies.

Interventions

PROCEDUREDry needling

Dry needlin is a manual therapy technique used for miofascuial pain syndrom treatment. The patient will be supine, in a confortable position. The therapist localizes the trapezius trigger point number 2 and then performes the needling until 2 REL are obtenined. The patient will remain supine during 15 minutes.

PROCEDURETranscutaneous Nerve Stimulation.

Transcutaneous Nerve Stimulation (TENS) is a current used for pain treatment. The needle will be used as the negative pole and a adhesive patch 2 centimeters lateral will be the positive pole. The frecuency selected will have 2 Hz with pulses of 120 microseconds. The currente will be applied for 15 minutes.

PROCEDUREPlacebo needling

No active technique is performed with the placebo needling. Patient will be supine and a placebo needle willb be performed. The patient will remain supine for 15 minutes.

Sponsors

Universidad Rey Juan Carlos
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Mechanical Neck pain of at least 6 months. * VAS 2 or greather. * Existance of miofascial trigger point in trapezius muscle assesed by an expert PT.

Exclusion criteria

* Neck pain due secondary to ostheoporosis, metastasis, neoplasias, fractures, infections, cervical stenosis or infexious procces. * Headache secondary to medular compression presenting one o the following signs: abnormal sensitivity, hiperreflexia, clonus, spread weakness, cervical hernia. * Neck pain with radiculopathy. * Whiplash. * Vertebrobasilar syndrome. * Dizzyness. * Pregnancy. * Having received dry needling treatment before.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Visual Analogue ScalePatients will be reassed in four days.Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) is a subjective evaluation. There are previous studies that demonstrate its reliability and its sensitivity, wich give validity to VAS messures. The messure is made using a two sides 10 centimeters scale. The patient´s face shows an increasing slope that allows the patient to mark his pain level. That mark has his equivalent number on the scale, so 0 is no pain and 10 is maximum pain. A differece of 2 points on the scale means the minimum clinically significant change.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Active Cervical Range of MovementPatient will be reassed in four days.To messure the cervical range of movement, a CROM will be used. The CROM is a special goniometer that allows therapists to messure cervical movements. It conists on trhee pairs of inclinometers that allow reserchers to messure range of flexion-extension, lateral flexion and rotation. The CROM has a porved reliability, providing a inter-meter reliability from 0,7 to 0,9 and an intra-meter reliability from 0,8 to 0,87. The patient will be seated on a cheir, and he´ll perform cervical movements actively, just untill he starts to feel his pain. Each movement will be messure three times, and the average will be taken.
Pressure Pain ThresholdPatients will be reassed in four days.Pressure Pain Threshold (PPT) is the minimun pressure needed to araise pain. To messure PPT, an digital algometer will be used. An algometer consists on a 1 square centimeter rubber piece inserted on a pressure gauge. Previous studies have shown the reliability of this method (ICC=0,91) and also inter meter (ICC from 0,82 to 0,97) and intra meter (ICC=0,78). The minimun detectable change on the cervical area goes from 0,44 Kg/cm2 to 1,11 Kg/cm2. We will apply the algometer over trapezius trigger point number 2, and the patient will tell the therapist when he start to feel hgis pain. We´ll do the messure 3 times and the average will be taken.

Countries

Spain

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026