Riassunto dello studio

Sixty-six patients with chronic neck pain due to cervical disc herniation and active myofascial trigger points were randomized to receive interlaminar epidural steroid injection plus dry needling (n=22), injection plus sham dry needling (n=22), or injection alone (n=22). The primary outcome was change in pain severity (Numeric Rating Scale) and number of active trigger points. Secondary outcomes included changes in pain-pressure threshold. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, 3 weeks, and 3 months. Overall, the results revealed that patients receiving the combination of steroid injection and dry needling had significantly greater pain reduction and improvement in pressure-pain threshold at all time points. These findings suggest that dry needling enhances the efficacy of epidural steroid injections in this population.