Effect of dry needling on radial tunnel syndrome: A case report

ABSTRACT

This case report describes a 45-year-old male who presented with chronic right lateral elbow pain managed unsuccessfully with conservative treatment that included anti-inflammatory medication, injection, massage, exercise, bracing, taping, electro-physical agents, and manual therapy. Diagnosis of radial tunnel syndrome (RTS) was based on palpatory findings, range of motion testing, resisted isometrics, and a positive upper limb neural tension test 2b (radial nerve bias). Conventionally, the intervention for this entrapment has been surgical decompression, with successful outcomes. This is potentially a first-time report, describing the successful management of RTS with dry needling (DN) using a recently published DN grading system. Immediate improvements were noted in all the outcome measures after the first treatment, with complete pain-resolution maintained at a 6-month follow-up. A model is proposed describing the mechanism by which DN could be used to intervene for nerve entrapment interfaces.

KEYWORDS:

• Dry needling
• intramuscular stimulation
• intramuscular therapy
• radial nerve
• radial tunnel syndrome
• posterior interosseous nerve
• peripheral nerve entrapment
• chronic pain

Acknowledgments

The author thanks Megan Sawatsky MPT and Chris Les MPT for their assistance in preparing this manuscript.

Declaration of interest

The author reports no conflict of interest.