Treating myofascial pain with dry needling: a systematic review for the best evidence-based practices in low back pain

Abstract

Background Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is a common source of pain in primary care or pain clinics. There are many different ways to manage and treat MPS, such as physical exercise, trigger points massage, and dry needling. Objective The objective of this overview is to highlight and discuss the evidence-based treatment of myofascial pain by dry needling in patients with low back pain. Methods A systematic review was made based on meta-analysis (MA) and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) related to dry needling treatment for myofascial pain in patients with lumbar pain, published from 2000 to 2023. Results A total of 509 records were identified at first. Seventy were published before 2000, so they were excluded. From the remaining 439 studies, ninety-two were RCTs or MA, of which 86 additional studies were excluded for the following reasons: not related to dry needling treatment (n = 79), not published in English (n = 4), duplicated (n = 1), project protocol (n = 1), and not related to myofascial pain (n = 1). So, this review was based on 4 RCTs and two MA. These studies compared dry needling efficacy to other treatments, such as acupuncture, sham dry needling, laser therapy, physical therapy, local anesthetic injection, ischemic compression, and neuroscience education. Despite outcomes and follow-up period varied between them, they showed that dry needling can decrease post-intervention pain intensity and pain disability. Conclusion Dry needling is an effective procedure for the treatment of myofascial pain in patients with acute and chronic low back pain. Further high-quality studies are needed to clarify the long-term outcomes.

Extracorporeal ShockWave Treatment vs. mesotherapy in the treatment of myofascial syndromes: a clinical trial

“…Several studies have evaluated the effectiveness of dry needling in myofascial pain syndrome, defining its importance in addition to rehabilitative exercises ( 35 ), and evaluating verbal suggestion on pain perception during therapy sessions ( 36 , 37 ). Other popular treatments include manual therapy and dry cupping.…”

“…Ahi et al (33) compared the effectiveness of high-intensity laser therapy (HILT) and "dry needling" in patients with myofascial pain syndrome and showed that these therapeutic alternatives in addition to exercises contribute to pain reduction. Appasamy et al (34), on the other hand, conducted a study evaluating Several studies have evaluated the effectiveness of dry needling in myofascial pain syndrome, defining its importance in addition to rehabilitative exercises (35), and evaluating verbal suggestion on pain perception during therapy sessions (36,37). Other popular treatments include manual therapy and dry cupping.…”