Dry needling, trigger point electroacupuncture and motor point electroacupuncture for the treatment of myofascial pain syndrome involving the trapezius: a randomised clinical trial.

研究概要

Ninety patients with myofascial pain syndrome involving the trapezius muscle were randomized into three groups: dry needling of trigger points (n=30), trigger point electroacupuncture (n=30), or motor point electroacupuncture (n=30). The primary outcome was pain score measured on the visual analog scale (VAS), and the secondary outcome was health-related quality of life assessed by the SF-12 questionnaire. Outcomes were measured over eight timepoints, including baseline and after seven weekly treatment sessions. Overall, the study revealed that motor point electroacupuncture provided superior pain relief compared to dry needling (p=0.012) but showed no significant difference in quality of life across groups. This suggests motor point electroacupuncture as a potentially more effective intervention for pain management in this population.