Factors Associated with Immediate Post-needling Soreness after Dry Needling at Upper Trapezius Muscle in Patients with Myofascial Pain syndrome

Authors

  • Triluk Vorawanthanachai Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Phetchabun Hospital, Phetchabun, Thailand

Keywords:

post-needling soreness, dry needling, upper trapezius muscle, myofascial pain syndrome

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the factors associated with immediate post-needling soreness after dry needling at the upper trapezius muscle in patients with myofascial pain syndrome.

Study design: Prospective study.

Setting: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Phetchabun Hospital, Phetchabun province, Thailand.

Subjects: The participants were 265 patients with myofascial pain syndrome at the upper trapezius muscle who were treated by dry needling between January and September 2022. The inclu-sion criteria comprised ages 18-65 years and a numeric rating scale (NRS) of muscle pain intensity ≥ 3 scores.

Methods: The participants were interviewed regarding their demo-graphic data, including gender, age, BMI, affected side, and NRS of initial muscle pain intensity. Dry needling at the upper Trapezius was performed by using an acupuncture needle. Data recorded during needling included needle size, the number of needle insertions, the total number of needles, responses during needling, and the number of muscle twitching. Data recorded immediately after dry needling, included the bleeding size, presence of hemato-ma, duration of ischemic compression, NRS of muscle pain, and NRS of soreness. The demographic data are shown as frequency, percentage, means, and standard deviations. The relationship of factors associated with post-needling soreness was analyzed by chi-square test, and potential associated factors of post-needling soreness were analyzed by multiple binary logistic regression, Forward Wald test.

Results: Two hundred sixty-five patients were 19.2% of males and 80.8% of females, with a mean age of 44 years, and average BMI of 23.7 kg/m2, and average initial muscle pain intensity of 5.8. The most frequently affected side was the right side (54.3%). Most patients had post-needling soreness (54.0%), with a mean soreness score of 3.3.  Chi-square analysis identified seven variables that involved post-needling soreness: needle size, number of needle insertions, total number of needles, number of muscle twitching, bleeding size, presence of hematoma, and duration of ischemic compression. However, multivariate analysis identified only three factors that were statistically significantly associated with post-needling soreness, including needle size (ORadj 4.38, 95%CI 2.40-8.04, p < 0.001), number of muscle twitching (ORadj 1.19, 95%CI 1.08-1.36, p = 0.007), and number of needle insertions (ORadj 1.07, 95%CI 1.03-1.11, p = 0.001)

Conclusions: The associated factors with immediate post-needling soreness in patients after upper trapezius dry needling were needle size, number of muscle twitching, and number of needle insertions.

References

Simons DG, Travell JG, Simons LS. Travell and Simons’ myofascial pain and dysfunction: The trigger point manual vol.1: Upper half of body. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: Williams & Wilkins;1999.

Ge HY, Arendt-Nielsen L, Madeleine P. Accelerated muscle fatigability of latent myofascial trigger points in humans. Pain Med [internet]. 2012 [cited 2022 Oct 1];13:957-64. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22694218/ doi:10.1111/j.1526-4637.2012.01416.x

Sarrafzadeh J, Ahmadi A, Yassin M. The effects of pressure release, phonophoresis of hydrocortisone and ultrasound on upper trapezius latent myofascial trigger point. Arch Phys Med Rehabil [Internet]. 2011 [cited 2022 Oct 1];93(1):72–7. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21982324/ doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2011.08.001

Cerezo-Téllez E, Torres-Lacomba M, Mayoral-Del Moral O, Sánchez-Sánchez B, Dommerholt J, Gutiérrez-Ortega C. Prevalence of Myofascial Pain Syndrome in Chronic Non-Specific Neck Pain: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study. Pain Med [Internet]. 2016 [cited 2022 Oct 1];17(12):2369-77. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28025371/ doi:10.1093/pm/pnw114

Tough EA, White AR, Richards S, Campbell J. Variability of criteria used to diagnose myofascial trigger point pain syndrome-evidence from a review of the literature. Clin J Pain [Internet]. 2007 [cited 2022 Oct 1];23(3):278. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17314589/ doi:10.1097/AJP.0b013e31802fda7c

Tough EA, White AR, Cummings TM, Richards SH, Campbell JL. Acupuncture and dry needling in the management of myofascial trigger point pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Eur J Pain [Internet]. 2009 Jan [cited 2022 Oct 1];13(1):3-10. Available https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18395479/ doi:10.1016/j.ejpain.2008.02.006

Kietrys DM, Palombaro KM, Azzaretto E, Hubler R, Schaller B, Schlussel JM, et al. Effectiveness of dry needling for upper-quarter myofascial pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther [Internet]. 2013 Sep [cited 2022 Oct 1];43(9):620-34. Available from https://pubmed. ncbi. nlm. nih. Gov /23756457/ doi:10.2519/jospt.2013.4668

Hong C. Lidocaine injection versus dry needling to myofascial trigger point: the importance of local twitch response. Am J Phys Med Rehabil [Internet].1994 [cited 2022 Oct 1];73(4):256-63. Available from https:// pubmed.ncbi.nlm. nih.gov/8043247/ doi:10.1097/00002060-199407000-00006

Ruane JJ. Identifying and Injecting Myofascial Trigger Points. Phys Sportsmed [Internet]. 2001 [cited 2022 Oct 1];29(12):49-50. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20086561/ doi:10.3810/psm.2001.12.1082

Rickards LD. The effectiveness of non-invasive treatments for active myofascial trigger point pain: A systematic review of literature. Int J Osteopath Med [Internet]. 2006 [cited 2022 Oct 1];9(4): 120-36. Available from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK72610/

Ga H, Choi JH, Park CH, Yoon HJ. Dry needling of trigger points with and without paraspinal needling in myofascial pain syndromes in elderly patients. J Alternative Compl Med [Internet]. 2007 [cited 2022 Oct 1];13: 617-24. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17718644/ doi:10.1089/acm.2006.6371

Martín-Pintado ZA, Rodríguez-Fernandez AL, Fernandez-Carnero J. Postneedling soreness after deep dry needling of a latent myofascial trigger point in the upper trapezius muscle: characteristics, sex differences and associated factors. J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil [Internet]. 2016 [cited 2022 Oct 1];29:301-8. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26406209/ doi:10.3233/BMR-150630

Martín-Pintado ZA, Fernandez-Carnero J, Leon-Hernandez JV, Calvo Lobo C, BeltranAlacreu H, Alguacil-Diego I, et al. Post-needling soreness after myofascial trigger point dry needling: Current status and future research. J Bodyw Mov Ther [Internet]. 2018 [cited 2022 Oct 1];22:941-6. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30368339/ doi:10.1016/j.jbmt.2018.01.003

Myburgh C, Hartvigsen J, Aagaard P, Holsgaard-Larsen A. Skeletal muscle contractility, self-reported pain and tissue sensitivity in females with neck/ shoulder pain and upper Trapezius myofascial trigger points- a randomized intervention study. Chiropr Man Ther [Internet]. 2012 [cited 2022 Oct 1];20:36. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23176709/ doi:10.1186/2045-709X-20-36

Lai MW, Hong CZ. Additional ultrasound therapy after myofascial trigger point injection for the management of post-injection soreness. J Rehab Med Assoc [Internet]. 1998 [cited 2022 Oct 1];26: 111-8. Available from https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Additional-Ultrasound-Therapy-after-Myofacial-Point-Lai-Hong/04ddd6539f1c7058dea3e4d234529b8f7afd9ddf

Ga H, Koh HJ, Choi JH, Kim CH. Intramuscular and nerve root stimulation vs lidocaine injection of trigger points in myofascial pain syndrome. J Rehabil Med [internet]. 2007 [cited 2022 Oct 1];39: 374-8. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17549328/ doi:10.2340/16501977-0058

Martín-Pintado ZA, Pecos-Martín D, Rodríguez-Fernandez AL, Alguacil-Diego IM, Portillo-Aceituno A, Gallego-Izquierdo T, et al. Ischemic compression after dry needling of a latent myofascial trigger point reduces post-needling soreness intensity and duration. PMR [Internet]. 2015 [cited 2022 Oct 1];7:1026-34. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25836591/ doi:10.1016/j.pmrj.2015.03.021

Salom-Moreno J, Jimenez-Gomez L, Gomez-Ahufinger V, Palacios-Cena M, Arias-Buría JL, Koppenhaver SL, et al. Effects of low-load exercise on post-needling induced pain after dry needling of active trigger point in individuals with subacromial pain syndrome. PM R [Internet]. 2017 [cited 2022 Oct 1];9:1208-16. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28483685/ doi:10.1016/j.pmrj.2017.04.012

Agung I, MurdanaN, Purba H. The Relationship Between The Body Mass Index and The Pain Threshold in Myofascial Pain Syndrome: A Cross-sectional Study. Indo J PMR [Internet]. 2017 [cited 2022 Oct 1];.6:8-17. Available from http://indojournalpmr.org/IJPMR/article/view/147

Dommerholt J, Fernández-de-las-Peñas C. Trigger Point Dry Needling. An Evidence and Clinical-Based Approach. London: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 201. p. 73-118.

Perreault T, Dunning J, Butts R. The local twitch response during trigger point dry needling: Is it necessary for successful outcomes?. J Bodyw Mov Ther [Internet]. 2017 [cited 2022 Oct 1];21:940-7. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29037652/ doi:10.1016/j.jbmt.2017.03.008

Campa-Moran I, Rey-Gudin E, Fernandez-Carnero J, Paris-Alemany A, Gil-Martinez A, Lerma Lara S, et al. Comparison of dry needling versus orthopedic manual therapy in patients with myofascial chronic neck pain: a single-blind, randomized pilot study. Pain Res Treat [Internet]. 2015 [cited 2022 Oct 1];534:1-15. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26640708/ doi:10.1155/2015/327307

Irnich D, Behrens N, Gleditsch JM, Stor W, Schreiber MA, Schops P, et al. Immediate effects of dry needling and acupuncture at distant points in chronic neck pain: results of a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled crossover trial. Pain [Internet]. 2002 [cited 2022 Oct 1];99:83-9. Available from https:// pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12237186/ doi:10.1016/s0304-3959(02)00062-3

Martín-Pintado ZA, Rodríguez-Fernandez AL, García-Muro F, Lopez A, Mayoral O, Mesa-Jimenez, et al. Effects of spray and stretch on postneedling soreness and sensitivity after dry needling of a latent myofascial trigger point. Arch Phys Med Rehabil [internet]. 2014 [cited 2022 Oct 1];95:1925-32. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24928191/ doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2014.05.021

Downloads

Published

2023-03-08

Issue

Section

Original Article