Short-Term Pain Outcomes of Trigger Point Injection Versus Dry Needling for Acute Myofascial Low Back Pain in the Emergency Department: A Prospective Randomized Comparative Study
- 1Department of Emergency Medicine, Giresun Training and Research Hospital, Giresun, Türkiye
- 2Department of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Atatürk University, Erzurum, Türkiye
Abstract
Background: Acute myofascial low back pain prompts emergency department visits, where rapid pain relief matters. Trigger point injection and dry needling are used for myofascial trigger points, but comparative evidence in emergency care is limited. This study compared the short-term analgesic effectiveness of trigger point injection and dry needling in patients with acute myofascial low back pain presenting to the emergency department.
Material/Methods: This prospective, randomized, comparative study randomized 52 patients; 49 patients who completed at least 1 post-procedure pain assessment were included in the analysis. Pain was assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) at baseline and 5, 15, 30, and 60 minutes after the procedure. The principal effectiveness outcome was the between-group difference in percentage pain reduction at 30 minutes. Intravenous fentanyl (1 μg/kg) was administered as rescue analgesia after the 60-minute assessment when required.
Results: Baseline NRS scores were similar between groups (P = 0.191). Percentage pain reduction at 30 minutes was greater after trigger point injection than after dry needling (86.85 ± 17.53% vs 32.98 ± 13.48%; mean difference, 53.86 percentage points; 95% confidence interval, 44.78–62.94; P < 0.001). Pain scores were lower and pain reduction was greater after trigger point injection at all post-procedure timepoints (all P < 0.001). Rescue analgesia was required in 0 of 26 patients after trigger point injection and 15 of 23 patients (65.2%) after dry needling (P < 0.001). No procedure-related adverse events were observed.
Conclusions: Trigger point injection was associated with greater short-term pain reduction and less frequent rescue analgesia than dry needling during the first hour of emergency department care. These preliminary findings require confirmation in larger studies.
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BibTeX
@article{sengun2026shortterm,
title = {{Short-Term Pain Outcomes of Trigger Point Injection Versus Dry Needling for Acute Myofascial Low Back Pain in the Emergency Department: A Prospective Randomized Comparative Study}},
author = {Emre Şengün and Sultan Tuna Akgöl Gür},
journal = {Medical Science Monitor: International Medical Journal of Experimental and Clinical Research},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.12659/msm.953682},
url = {https://doi.org/10.12659/msm.953682},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Short-Term Pain Outcomes of Trigger Point Injection Versus Dry Needling for Acute Myofascial Low Back Pain in the Emergency Department: A Prospective Randomized Comparative Study
AU - Emre Şengün
AU - Sultan Tuna Akgöl Gür
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/01
JO - Medical Science Monitor: International Medical Journal of Experimental and Clinical Research
DO - 10.12659/msm.953682
UR - https://doi.org/10.12659/msm.953682
AB - Background: Acute myofascial low back pain prompts emergency department visits, where rapid pain relief matters. Trigger point injection and dry needling are used for myofascial trigger points, but comparative evidence in emergency care is limited. This study compared the short-term analgesic effectiveness of trigger point injection and dry needling in patients with acute myofascial low back pain presenting to the emergency department. Material/Methods: This prospective, randomized, comparative study randomized 52 patients; 49 patients who completed at least 1 post-procedure pain assessment were included in the analysis. Pain was assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) at baseline and 5, 15, 30, and 60 minutes after the procedure. The principal effectiveness outcome was the between-group difference in percentage pain reduction at 30 minutes. Intravenous fentanyl (1 μg/kg) was administered as rescue analgesia after the 60-minute assessment when required. Results: Baseline NRS scores were similar between groups (P = 0.191). Percentage pain reduction at 30 minutes was greater after trigger point injection than after dry needling (86.85 ± 17.53% vs 32.98 ± 13.48%; mean difference, 53.86 percentage points; 95% confidence interval, 44.78–62.94; P < 0.001). Pain scores were lower and pain reduction was greater after trigger point injection at all post-procedure timepoints (all P < 0.001). Rescue analgesia was required in 0 of 26 patients after trigger point injection and 15 of 23 patients (65.2%) after dry needling (P < 0.001). No procedure-related adverse events were observed. Conclusions: Trigger point injection was associated with greater short-term pain reduction and less frequent rescue analgesia than dry needling during the first hour of emergency department care. These preliminary findings require confirmation in larger studies.
SN - 1234-1010
SN - 1643-3750
ER -