Neurophysiological and clinical effects of dry needling in patients with upper trapezius myofascial trigger points.

J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2017 Jan;21(1):48-52

Authors: Abbaszadeh-Amirdehi M, Ansari NN, Naghdi S, Olyaei G, Nourbakhsh MR

Abstract
INTRODUCTION: 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.

PMID: 28167189 [PubMed – in process]