Short-Term Pain Outcomes of Trigger Point Injection Versus Dry Needling for Acute Myofascial Low Back Pain in the Emergency Department: A Prospective Randomized Comparative Study.
Emre Şengün, Sultan Tuna Akgöl Gür
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In 30 seconds
This prospective randomized comparative study evaluated trigger point injection versus dry needling for acute myofascial low back pain in emergency department patients. Of 52 randomized patients, 49 with at least one post-procedure pain assessment were analyzed. At 30 minutes, percentage pain reduction was greater with trigger point injection than dry needling (86.85±17.53% vs 32.98±13.48%; mean difference, 53.86 percentage points; 95% confidence interval, 44.78-62.94; P<0.001). Trigger point injection also produced lower pain scores across measured timepoints and less need for rescue analgesia during the first hour.
Key findings
- At 30 minutes, pain reduction was 86.85±17.53% with trigger point injection versus 32.98±13.48% with dry needling (P<0.001).
- Rescue analgesia was required by 0 of 26 patients after injection and 15 of 23 patients (65.2%) after dry needling (P<0.001).
- Pain scores were lower after trigger point injection at every post-procedure assessment; no procedure-related adverse events were observed.
Why it matters
Rapid analgesia is important in emergency care for acute myofascial low back pain. The trial suggests that trigger point injection may provide greater pain relief and reduce the need for rescue analgesia compared with dry needling during the first hour, offering comparative evidence for two procedures used in this setting.
What to keep in mind
The analysis included 49 patients and assessed outcomes only during the first hour. The authors describe the findings as preliminary and call for confirmation in larger studies.