Dry needling frequency and its effect on pain and disability in acute cervical myofascial pain: a multicenter study.

Study Summary

96 patients with acute unilateral cervical myofascial pain syndrome were included in this multicentre, blinded, parallel-group trial and were randomized to receive dry needling once weekly (DN1x), dry needling three times weekly (DN3x), sham dry needling once weekly (sDN1x), or sham dry needling three times weekly (sDN3x). The primary outcomes of interest were visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain intensity and Neck Disability Index (NDI). Secondary outcomes included muscle stiffness and tone, pressure pain threshold (PPT), cervical range of motion, and adverse events. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, 3 weeks, and 6 weeks. Overall, the results of the study revealed that both dry needling frequencies reduced pain compared with sham, but neither frequency was superior for the primary patient-reported outcomes. Higher-frequency dry needling produced greater improvements in muscle stiffness, muscle tone, pressure pain threshold, and cervical extension, although it was associated with more mild adverse events. These findings suggest that increasing dry needling frequency primarily benefits tissue-level outcomes rather than pain or disability.