Superficial Dry Needling at Myofascial Trigger Point Sites

Abstract

A brief review of the methods employed for the deactivation of myofascial trigger points [MTrPs] will be followed by a detailed account as to how this may be achieved by stimulating with a dry needle nerve endings in the skin and subcutaneous tissues overlying a MTrP. This procedure will be referred to as superficial dry needling [SDN]. Reasons will be given in support of the hypothesis that there are pain relieving mechanisms common to all MTrP deactivating techniques and that one of the easiest means of bringing these mechanisms into action is by the use of SDN. Attention will then be drawn to the need for large scale trials designed to compare objectively the safety, simplicity, patient acceptability and pain-relieving effectiveness of SDN with that of other methods of deactivating MTrPs.

KEYWORDS:

• Superficial dry needling
• myofascial trigger points
• opioid peptide mediated pain modulating mechanisms