No Added Benefit of Combining Dry Needling With Guideline-Based Physical Therapy When Managing Chronic Neck Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2020 Apr 09;:1-21

Authors: Stieven FF, Ferreira GE, Wiebusch M, de Araújo FX, da Rosa LHT, Silva MF

Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To determine the added benefit of combining dry needling with a guideline-based physical therapy treatment program consisting of exercise and manual therapy on pain and disability in people with chronic neck pain.
DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial.
METHODS: Participants were randomized to receive either guideline-based physical therapy or guideline-based physical therapy plus dry needling. The primary outcomes, measured at 1 month post-randomization, were: average pain intensity (in the previous 24 hours and in the previous week) measured with a numerical pain rating scale (0-10), and disability measured with the Neck Disability Index (0-100). The secondary outcomes were pain and disability measured at 3 and 6 months, and global perceived effect, quality of sleep, pain catastrophizing, and self-efficacy measured at 1, 3 and 6 months.
RESULTS: 116 participants were recruited. At one month post-randomization, people who received dry needling plus guideline-based physical therapy had a small reduction in average pain intensity in the previous 24 hours (mean difference: 1.56 points; 95% CI 1.11 to 2.36), and average pain intensity in the previous week (mean difference: 1.49 points; 95% CI 1.02 to 2.21). There was no effect of adding dry needling to guideline-based physical therapy on disability at 1-month post-randomization (mean difference: -2.08 points; 95% CI -1.16 to 5.07). There was no effect for any of the secondary outcomes.
CONCLUSION: When combined with guideline-based physical therapy for neck pain, dry needling resulted in small improvements in pain only at 1 month post-randomization. There was no effect on disability. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther, Epub 9 Apr 2020. doi:10.2519/jospt.2020.9389.

PMID: 32272030 [PubMed – as supplied by publisher]