OBJECTIVES: To compare the efficacies of an intramuscular stimulation technique and 0.5% Lidocaine injection to trigger points in myofascial pain syndrome. PARTICIPANTS: Forty-three people with myofascial pain syndrome of the upper trapezius muscle. INTERVENTIONS: Twenty-two subjects were treated with intramuscular stimulation and another 21 with 0.5% Lidocaine injection at all the trigger points on days 0, 7 and 14. RESULTS: Intramuscular stimulation resulted in a significant reduction in Wong-Baker FACES pain scale scores at all visits and was more effective than trigger point injection. Intramuscular stimulation also resulted in significant improvement on the Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form. Local twitch responses occurred in 97.7% (42/43) of patients. All the passive cervical ranges of motion were significantly increased. Post-treatment soreness was noted in 54.6% of patients in the intramuscular stimulation group and 38.1% in the trigger point injection group, respectively, and gross subcutaneous haemorrhage (> 4 cm2) was seen in only one patient in the trigger point injection group. CONCLUSION: In managing myofascial pain syndrome, after one month intramuscular stimulation resulted in more significant improvements in pain intensity, cervical range of motion and depression scales than did 0.5% Lidocaine injection of trigger points. Intramuscular stimulation is therefore recommended for myofascial pain syndrome.

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