Therapeutic Observation of Fire-needle Acupuncture for Myofascial Pain Syndrome / 上海针灸杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of fire-needle acupuncture in treating myofascial pain syndrome (MPS). Method Seventy-two patients with MPS were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 36 in each group. The treatment group was intervened by fire-needle acupuncture, while the control group was by ordinary acupuncture. The short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) was observed before and after the intervention, and the clinical efficacy was compared. Result The total effective rate and markedly-effective rate were respectively 94.4% and 77.8% in the treatment group versus 80.6% and 30.6%in the control group. There was a significant difference in comparing the markedly-effective rate between the two groups (P<0.01). The MPQ item scores [pain rating index (PRI), present pain intensity (PPI), and visual analogue scale (VAS)] were significantly changed after intervention in both groups (P<0.05). After intervention, the MPQ item scores of the treatment group were significantly different from that of the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion Fire-needle acupuncture is an effective method in treating MPS.