As you may know, dry needling treatment relieves patient pain in a variety of ways. For example, it has been used to treat fibromyalgia pain and discomfort. A recent clinical study has shown that this same treatment can be used to decrease pain in the back associated with Fibromyalgia and/or injury. Furthermore, researchers found that as dry needling reduces pain a patient also has more spinal mobility.
Sometimes sensitive points in muscle cause pain in unrelated body parts. This pain is often due to “tightness” (or knots) in the muscle- called trigger points. Dry needling releases the knot. The results are reduced pain with the release of the knot.
Firstly, the study compared two methods of pain relief: dry needling in the spinal muscles (thoracic and lumbar) and cross taping. As you may know, cross taping is a nonelastic cross-mesh tape. Secondly, the study focused on the same trigger points treated with both methods.
Patients participated from the Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital in Murcia, Spain. 64 patients participated. Finally, all subjects received spinal mobility and pain measurements.
Furthermore, trigger points targeted were broad back muscles. These muscles tested were as follows: quadratus lumborum extensor back muscles (iliocostalis, multifidus), and “lats” (latissimus dorsi). The quadratus lumborum are the most deep abdominal muscles. However, they are located in the lower back.
RESULTS.
The variables measured and compared were: spinal movement and pain.
The results showed a significant difference between the dry needled group and the taped group.
Dry-needling therapy significantly decreased the number of trigger points in comparison to the cross-tape group. All three targeted muscles groups showed improvement. Dry needling also reduced patient pain intensity.
Furthermore, after the study, dry needling and cross tape treatments reported a similar effect in spinal mobility. However, the dry needling group (in a sitting position) showed a major improvement.
RESOURCES:
- “Effects of Dry Needling on Spinal Mobility and Trigger Points in Patients with Fibromyalgia Syndrome,”
- published in Pain Physician Journal. Results reported as clinical trial (NCT02380807).
