The therapeutic efficacy of invasive needling techniques in the management of myofascial pain and dysfunction syndrome

Abstract

Myofascial trigger points are a frequently overlooked and misunderstood phenomenon in medical curricula, yet with correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment the prognosis is usually excellent. Many effective treatments have been devised for myofascial trigger points, but the problem is that there is very little research to substantiate which of these treatments are the most effective. The aim of this randomised uncontrolled study was to justify the hypotheses which stated that both dry needling and saline injection would prove to be effective in the treatment of myofascial trigger points, with saline injection proving to be the most effective of the two. Patients were obtained for this study by convenience sampling, whereby any patients presenting to the Chiropractic clinic at Technikon Natal with neck,\xB7 upper back or shoulder pains were considered for the study. Of these patients, only those who conformed to the specified delimitations and diagnostic criteria were accepted. The sample size of thirty patients was randomly divided into two treatment groups of fifteen, one of which received saline injection and the other dry needling of active myofascial trigger points. Both groups were educated with regards to the nature and perpetuating factors of the condition, \xB7andwere instructed to follow a specific stretching programme.