Comparative Study of Efficacy Between Dry Needling, Ultrasound Therapy, and Lignocaine Injection on Neck Disability in Patients with Myofascial Trigger Points of the Upper Trapezius Muscle
Abstract
Introduction: Myofascial trigger points in the upper trapezius are a common cause of neck pain and functional limitation, contributing to increased neck disability in affected patients. Aims: This study aimed to compare the efficacy of dry needling, ultrasound therapy, and lignocaine injection in reducing neck disability in patients with upper trapezius myofascial trigger points. Data were collected through history, clinical examination, and recorded in a pre-designed proforma after obtaining informed consent. Materials and Methods: Comparative and randomized study conducted at the Department of Physical Medi-cine & Rehabilitation, Sambhu Nath Pandit Hospital, Kolkata, over 1 year, including 60 adults patients with myofascial trigger points of the upper trapezius muscle associated with myofascial pain syndrome. Result: All three interventions led to a progressive reduction in NDI scores over time. At the first and second visits, differences between groups were not statistically significant. By the third visit, Group B (ultrasound ther-apy) demonstrated a significantly greater improvement in NDI compared to Group C (lignocaine injection) (p = 0.009), while dry needling showed comparable but slightly lesser improvement. Demographic factors such as age, sex, occupation, handedness, and BMI did not significantly influence outcomes. Conclusion: Dry needling, ultrasound therapy, and lignocaine injection are all effective in reducing neck disa-bility in patients with upper trapezius myofascial trigger points, with ultrasound therapy providing slightly supe-rior functional improvement. These findings support the use of ultrasound-guided therapy as part of a multi-modal approach to managing myofascial pain syndrome.Keywords:
Myofascial trigger points, Neck Disability Index, Dry needling, Ultrasound therapy, Lignocaine injection, Upper trapezius, Myofascial pain syndromeReferences
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