Open AccessEvaluate the Immediate Effect of High- power Pain Threshold Ultrasound on Treatment of Upper Trapezius Active Myofascial Trigger Points
Author(s) -
Mehrdad Sadeghnia,
Azadeh Shadmehr,
Mohammad Reza Hadian,
Seyed Mohsen Mir,
Shohreh Jalaei
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of modern rehabilitation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2538-3868
pISSN - 2538-385X
DOI - 10.18502/jmr.v15i3.7737
Subject(s) - medicine , therapeutic ultrasound , myofascial pain syndrome , visual analogue scale , ultrasound , threshold of pain , neck pain , physical therapy , inclusion and exclusion criteria , intensity (physics) , trapezius muscle , randomized controlled trial , physical medicine and rehabilitation , anesthesia , surgery , radiology , electromyography , pathology , physics , alternative medicine , quantum mechanics
The most critical clinical presentation in myofascial pain syndrome is trigger points. Trigger points are the main problem in 30% of the patients presenting to general internal medicine practice. One of the treatments used for trigger points is ultrasound therapy. The high- power pain threshold ultrasound (HPPTUS) technique is one of the therapeutic ultrasound modifications used to treat trigger points. The present randomized clinical trial aimed to investigate the immediate effect of high-power pain threshold ultrasound on treating active trigger points of the upper trapezius muscle in men with mechanical neck pain.
Materials and Methods: Fourteen men with mechanical neck pain (Mean±SD age: 34.50±5.24 years) who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria participated in this study. The visual analog scale (VAS), pressure pain threshold (PPT), and range of motion of cervical lateral flexion (CLF) were assessed before and after the treatment. The ultrasound probe was placed on the trigger point. The frequency was set to 1 MHz, and the intensity increased from 0.5 to 2 until the patient reported an unpleasant sensation. The probe was held there for 4 seconds. Then, the intensity was reduced by 50%, and the probe was moved over and around the trigger point. This process was done several times for three minutes.
Results: Analysis of pre-treatment and post-treatment findings showed that the VAS (P<0.001), PPT (P=0.001), and CLF (P<0.001) improved significantly after applying the HPPTUS to trigger points.
Conclusion: Ultrasound significantly improved the muscular symptoms of the trigger points.