OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of dry needling into a myofascial trigger point (MTrP) in the lower trapezius (LT) muscle of patients with mechanical idiopathic neck pain. DESIGN: A single-center, randomized, double-blinded, controlled study. SETTING: Patients were recruited from the student population of a local hospital by advertisement in the University Clinic from January 2010 to December of 2011. PARTICIPANTS: Seventy-two patients with unilateral neck pain, neck pain for at least 3 months, and active trigger points in the lower trapezius were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatment groups. All of the patients completed the study. INTERVENTION: (1) Dry needling in a myofascial trigger point (MTrP) in the LT muscle or (2) dry needling in the LT muscle but not at a MTrP. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The visual analog scale (VAS), the Neck Questionnaire Test (NPQ) and the pressure pain threshold (PPT) were assessed before the intervention and one week and one month post-intervention. RESULTS: Treatment with dry needling of the LT muscle close to the MTrP showed decreases in pain and PPT as well as an improvement in the degree of disability (p < 0001) compared with the baseline and control group measurements (p < 0001). The dry needling technique performed in the MTrP showed more significant therapeutic effects (p < 0001). CONCLUSIONS: The application of dry needling into an active MTrP of the LT muscle induces significant changes in the VAS, NPQ and PPT levels compared to the application of dry needling in other locations of the same muscle in patients with mechanical neck pain.

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