The effectiveness of spinal manipulation and dry needling versus spinal manipulation and Traumeel®S injectable solution in the treatment of mechanical neck pain associated with trapezius myofascial trigger points

Abstract

Background: Mechanical neck pain is a common complaint characterized by pain, limited range of motion and myofascial trigger points. The most common treatments for it are manual therapy and drug therapy. The former includes massage and exercise therapy and more specific to this study spinal manipulation and dry needling. The latter includes non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) and analgesics. Manipulation assists in increasing range of movement and reduces muscle spasm, while dry-needling inactivates trigger points and decreases local and referred pain. NSAIDs reduce pain and muscle spasm by inhibiting inflammatory pathways. Traumeel®S is a commonly used, safe and well tolerated homoeopathic anti-inflammatory with similar efficacy as NSAIDs but without the adverse gastrointestinal effects. It has also been shown to be highly effective in the treatment of myofascial pain. Methodology: This study was designed as a randomized comparative clinical trial. Fourty participants between ages 18-55 years of age were randomly allocated to two groups of twenty participants each. Group A received spinal manipulation and dry needling in trapezius trigger point two; while Group B received spinal manipulation and Traumeel®S solution injection in trapezius trigger point two. The study took place over a period of two weeks and involved four consultations. Subjective and objective readings were taken at every consultation. Subjective tools included the Numerical pain rating scale (NRS) and Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC) neck disability index. Objective tools included the pressure algometer and cervical range of motion (CROM-II) goniometer. SPSS version 20.0 was used in the data analysis. A p-value of <0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: The results showed that no statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of subjective and objective measurements. However, there were statistically significant improvements seen in both groups equally in terms of subjective and objective measurements i.e. both groups showed improvement. Conclusion: The results of this study concluded that the effectiveness of spinal manipulation and dry needling versus spinal manipulation and Traumeel®S Injectable solution in the treatment of mechanical neck pain associated with trapezius myofascial trigger points is equivalent to each other. No statistically or clinically significant changes were noticed between the groups.