05/19/2023
𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐲𝐨𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐜𝐮𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐲𝐨𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐞
Chang, et.al.
𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 To compare the immediate effectiveness of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) applied to classical acupoints versus trigger points for patients with cervical myofascial pain syndrome (MPS).
𝐌𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐝𝐬 This was a single-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. This study was performed in a university-affiliated medical center. One hundred participants with cervical myofascial pain syndrome were randomly allocated to four treatment groups, including (1) acupoint therapy (AcuT), (2) acupoint control (AcuC), (3) trigger point therapy (TriT), and (4) trigger point control (TriC) groups. Low-level laser (810-nm) therapy was used in both therapy groups, while the same procedure was performed without laser in the acupoint control groups. The patients were evaluated based on visual analogue scale (VAS) pain score, pressure pain threshold, and cervical range of motion (ROM) before and after the therapy.
𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬 Immediate pain relief was observed in the TriT group (p < 0.01). The TriT group showed improved cervical ROM in ipsilateral bending (p < 0.01), while the AcuT group did not.
𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 LLLT applied to trigger points could significantly relieve myofascial pain and was effective in relieving cervical ROM limitations. Considering the risk of pneumothorax, laser therapy at trigger points for patients with cervical MPS may be a choice when acupuncture therapy is unavailable.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8847842/