Dry Needling and Pain Education in the Treatment of Chronic Neck Pain

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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to compare the effects on pain, disability and psychological factors of the combination of MTrP dry needling and pain neuroscience education to MTrPs dry needing alone and control electrotherapy usual care in patients with chronic neck pain.

Official Title
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Dry Needling and Pain Neuroscience Education in Chronic Pain Patients

Conditions
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Pain, Neck

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Dry needling
* Other: Pain neuroscience education
* Other: Conventional treatment


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Mechanical neck pain for at least 12 weeks 10% or higher on the Neck Disability Index questionnaire 20mm or higher on the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) of neck pain Presence of at least one active myofascial trigger point Exclusion Criteria: Neck pain associated with whiplash injuries Medical red flag history (i.e., tumour, fracture, metabolic diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis) Neck pain with cervical radiculopathy Neck pain associated with externalized cervical disc herniation Fibromyalgia syndrome Previous neck surgery Neck pain accompanied by vertigo caused by vertebrobasilar insufficiency or accompanied by non-cervicogenic headaches

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 65 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Active Comparator: Dry needling<br>Received Dry needling in the neck muscles. | Other: Dry needling<br>* Insertion of solid filament needles in the muscle<br>|
| Active Comparator: Conventional treatment<br>the participants received the conventional treatment for non-specific neck pain. | Other: Conventional treatment<br>* Electrotherapy: Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and microwaves<br>|
| Experimental: Dry needling and pain neuroscience education<br>Received the same treatment as dry needling group and pain education. | Other: Dry needling<br>* Insertion of solid filament needles in the muscle<br>Other: Pain neuroscience education<br>* Explanation of the functioning of the central nervous system, the differences between acute pain and chronic pain and the importance of thoughts and beliefs in the processing and chronification of pain<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pain using Visual Analogue Scale | Visual Analogue Scale: consists of a line of 100mm which represents the no pain on the left side of the same and the worst pain imaginable on the right side | 3 months | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Medication intake | Medication use: number of pills | 3 months | 
| Disability using Neck Disability Index | Neck disability index: patients ability to function in daily life activities. | 3 months | 
| Kinesiophobia using Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia | Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia: participants pain-related fear of movement and (re)injury | 3 months | 
| Catastrophizing using Pain Catastrophizing Scale | Pain Catastrophizing Scale: propensity to catastrophize about pain | 3 months | 
| Pain anxiety using Pain Anxiety Symptoms Scale | Pain Anxiety Symptoms Scale: The anxiety behaviors associated with pain | 3 months | 
| Beck Depression Inventory-II | Self-report measure to assess the severity of depressive symptoms | 3 months |