[PD Test]Dry needle technique relieves chronic upper back pain

The dry needle technique is an effective treatment modality for alleviating chronic upper back pain, new research has shown.

This technique involves the insertion of solid filiform needles into myofascial trigger points, which are composed of multiple contraction knots that produce pain. This technique is hypothesized to relieve pain by activating endogenous opioids.

In a study conducted by researchers from the University of Health Sciences Department of Rehabilitation Medicine in Laos, the dry needle technique was found to be more effective than the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in relieving pain among patients with chronic upper back pain.

The study involved 400 adult patients who consulted at Setharthirath Hospital from January to December 2007 and were diagnosed with chronic myofascial pain syndrome. The patients’ age ranged from 30 to 50 years old, with an average age of 41 years. There were 200 male and 200 female patients; half of each sex group were farmers and the other half were officers.

The patients were separated equally into two groups based on sex and occupation. One group was given NSAIDs 7.5 mg once a day and muscle relaxants 500 mg thrice a day. The dry needle technique was applied in the other group. The patients were treated for seven days, and their pain levels were assessed daily.

In the group treated with dry needle technique, 68 percent of the patients achieved pain relief on the first day. The remaining 32 percent achieved pain relief on the second day. The patients did not report any adverse side effects. In contrast, among the patients treated with NSAIDs and muscle relaxants, 52 percent reported pain relief on the second day of treatment, 37 percent on the third day, and the remaining 11 percent on the fourth day. In addition, among the patients who reported pain relief on the fourth day, 89 percent complained of dizziness and 67 percent complained of fatigue.

The authors concluded that dry needle technique is an excellent treatment modality for patients with chronic upper back pain caused by myofascial pain syndrome. They found that this technique not only alleviates pain more quickly than NSAID use, but it also has no side effects and is much cheaper. However, it has not been proven to be effective for other causes of chronic upper back pain, such as disc herniation, osteoarthritis, spondylosis, spondylitis, fractures and bone neoplasms.