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Objectives: The purpose of this randomized controlled trial was to investigate the long-term clinical effect of dry needling with two-week and three-month follow up, on individuals with myofascial trigger points in the upper trapezius muscle. Methods: A sample of convenience (33 individuals) with a trigger point in the upper trapezius muscle, participated in this study. The individuals were randomly assigned to two groups: trigger point compression (N = 17) or dry needling (N = 16). Pain intensity, neck disability, and disability of the arm, hand, and shoulder (DASH) were assessed before treatment, after treatment sessions, and at two-week and three-month follow ups. Results: The result of repeated measures ANOVA showed significant group-measurement interaction effect for VAS (p = .02). No significant interaction was found for NPQ and DASH (p > .05). The main effect of measurements for VAS, NPQ, and DASH were statistically significant (p < .0001). The results showed a significant change in pain intensity, neck disability, and DASH after treatment sessions, after two weeks and three months when compared with before treatment scores in both groups. There was no significant difference in the tested variables after two-week or three-month as compared to after treatment sessions between the two groups. However, pain intensity after treatment sessions was significantly different between the two groups (p = .02). Discussion: Dry needling and trigger point compression in individuals with myofascial trigger point in the upper trapezius muscle can lead to three-month improvement in pain intensity and disability.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of dry needling (DN) on pain intensity and pressure pain threshold (PPT) compared with ischemic compression (IC) immediately and 48 hours after each treatment session in individuals with myofascial trigger points in the upper trapezius muscle. Methods: Thirty-one patients with myofascial trigger points in the upper trapezius muscle participated in this study. Patients were randomly assigned to a standard (N = 17) or experimental group (N = 14). The treatment protocol for the standard group consisted of IC, whereas the patients in the experimental group received DN. Results: The results indicated that the effect size of the DN methods for pain intensity and PPT was considerably greater after 2 days compared with immediately after the treatment session. In contrast, the effect of the IC for PPT was greater immediately after treatment compared with the measures after 2 days. There was also no noticeable difference in the effect size for IC on pain intensity between the scores obtained immediately and 2 days after treatment. However, our data also revealed a greater effect size for DN on PPT after 2 days compared with the IC technique. Conclusions: In this study, DN improved the pain intensity and PPT after 2 days. However, it had no clinical improvement immediately after application because of muscle soreness. Thus, assessment of the effect of DN immediately after application can be criticized, and the results should be interpreted with caution. (J Chiropr Med 2016;15:252-258)

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Background: Myofascial trigger point is one of the most common causes of musculoskeletal disorders. Myofascial trigger point in upper trapezius has been reported as a symptom in patients with neck and upper thoracic pain. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of dry needling compared with ischemic pressure on trigger point in upper trapezius muscle. Materials and Methods: 28 subjects with myofascial trigger point in upper trapezius participated in this study. The subjects were randomly assigned to two groups: dry needling (n = 13) and ischemic pressure (n = 15). The neck lateral flexion range of motion was measured before and after treatment in both groups using a standard goniometer. Paired t-test was used to determine any significant difference in range of motion after treatment sessions compared with pre-treatment score in control and experimental group. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was calculated to determine the significance of differences between the control and experimental groups in posttest scores, with pre-treatment scores used as covariates in the analysis. Results: Statistical analysis (paired t-test) revealed significant increase in neck lateral flexion range of motion in contra-lateral side after treatment sessions in control and experimental group compared with pre-treatment score (P < 0.05). However, only dry needling was effective in increase of range of motion in Ipsi-lateral side (P = 0.001). In the ANCOVA, controlling for pre-test scores, no significant difference was found between the two groups in the after treatment sessions (P = 0.06) and (P = 0.15). Conclusions: The application of DN produces an improvement in ILF and CLF can be prescribed for subjects with MTP in UT muscles.