Manual acupuncture and electroacupuncture are more
effective in alleviating myofascial pain intensity, increasing cervical range
of motion than sham acupuncture in women with myofascial pain syndrome. A
clinical trial was reported in the Brazilian Journal of Physical Therapy.
Myofascial pain syndrome is a chronic pain disorder
caused by multiple trigger points and fascial constrictions. Pressure on
sensitive points in the muscle (trigger points) causes pain in seemingly
unrelated parts of the body (referred pain), decreased range of motion,
pseudo-weakness of the involved muscle. Myofascial pain syndrome normally
occurs after a muscle has been contracted repetitively due to jobs, hobbies and
stress-related muscle tension. The prevalence of myofascial pain syndrome in
general population is reported to reach up to 85%. The conventional treatment
includes physical therapy and pain medication but the outcome is not always
satisfactory.
Dr. MBD Gavião and colleagues in Brazil assessed the
effect of acupuncture for myofascial pain of upper trapezius and cervical range
of motion in a double-blinded, randomized clinical trial. Seventy-two women
patients with myofascial pain of upper trapezius and cervical range of motion
were allocated to manual acupuncture (n=24), electroacupuncture group (n=25) and
sham acupuncture group (n=23). Acupuncture was applied on acupoints GB20, GB21,
LI4 and LV3 and two Ashi points for 30 min,
needles are with (electroacupuncture) or without (manual acupuncture)
connection to small electrical current device. Sham acupuncture needles are
applied 1 cm distal to acupoints. Pain Visual Analogue scale, fleximetry and
the head and neck movements were evaluated before and after treatment and
follow-up.
Both manual acupuncture and electroacupuncture markedly
reduced myofascial pain intensity of upper trapezius and increased cervical
range of motion after treatment compared with sham acupuncture. Follow-up
assessment found the therapeutic effect of acupuncture was still maintained
compared with sham acupuncture 28 days after treatment.
Authors suggest that acupuncture was superiorly effective
in reducing myofascial pain and effect is sustainable compared with sham
acupuncture treatment.
Reference:
MFM Aranha et al., Pain
intensity and cervical range of motion in women with myofascial pain treated
with acupuncture and electroacupuncture: a double-blinded, randomized clinical trial. Braz J Phys
Ther. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/bjpt-rbf.2014.0066. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25424524
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