An evaluation of wet and dry needling techniques for treating myofascial pain in trapezius muscle – A meta-analysis

Abstract

Introduction: Myofascial pain is a common sign of temporomandibular joint disorders and a significant cause of dysfunction in the general population. Although there are many ways to treat it, because of their ease of use and effectiveness in reducing pain, needling therapies, particularly those inside the masticatory muscles, have seen a recent surge in attention. Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate the comparison between wet and dry needling therapies in myofascial pain management. Materials and Methods: The following study was built using the PICOS and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses protocols. A comprehensive search of the literature utilizing the PubMed search engines with the keywords acupuncture, dry needling, wet needling, botulinum toxin, local anesthesia, and masticatory muscle problems was done. A total of 412 items were found after searching the databases. Finally, the analysis contained 21 publications that met the parameters. Results: A statistically significant (P < 0.001) impact on pain reduction was seen by this meta-analysis when comparing wet versus dry needling (mean difference = 0.80, 95% confidence interval = −0.52–2.12, n¼ 7 trials). Discussion: The effectiveness of wet and dry needling in treating symptoms of neck discomfort with musculoskeletal origins related to TrPs was compared in this meta-analysis. We found strong evidence that lidocaine, a local anesthetic, used in wet needling reduced pain more effectively than dry needling. Conclusion: Evidence from this meta-analysis suggests that in individuals with trigger points (TrPs) associated with symptoms of neck discomfort, lidocaine TrP injection works better than dry needling to reduce pain.

Keywords

• botulinum toxin
• dry needling
• local anesthesia
• myofascial pain dysfunction
• trigger point injections
• wet needling