COMPARISON OF THREE TREATMENT MODALITIES IN MYOFASCIAL PAIN SYNDROME
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Dry Needling, Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy, Pulsed radiofrequency(PRF).
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Myofascial Pain Syndrome. Basic parameters: 18 years — 65 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- Turkey (Türkiye)
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Official title
COMPARATIVE EFFECTIVENESS OFF DRY NEEDLING, EXTRACORPOREAL SHOCK WAVE THERAPY, AND TRANSCUTANEOUS PULSED RADIOFREQUENCY IN PATIENTS WITH MYOFASCIAL PAIN SYNDROME: A PROSPECTIVE, RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL
Overview
This study aims to compare the effectiveness of dry needling, extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT), and pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain. The primary outcomes include pain intensity and functional status. Patients will be randomly assigned to different treatment groups, and outcomes will be evaluated before and after the interventions. The results of this study are expected to contribute to determining the most effective treatment method for pain management.
Detailed description
Myofascial pain syndrome is a common musculoskeletal disorder characterized by trigger points and chronic pain. Various treatment modalities such as dry needling, extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT), and pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) are used in clinical practice; however, there is no clear consensus on the most effective approach.
This randomized, parallel-group study aims to compare the effectiveness of these three treatment methods in patients diagnosed with myofascial pain syndrome. Eligible patients aged between 18 and 65 years with chronic back pain lasting at least 3 months will be included in the study. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive dry needling, ESWT, or PRF treatment.
Pain intensity will be assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), and functional outcomes will also be evaluated. The study is expected to contribute to the current literature by providing comparative data on these commonly used treatment modalities and guiding clinical decision-making.
Interventions
- Procedure Dry Needling
Dry needling applied to myofascial trigger points - Procedure Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy
Extracorporeal shock wave therapy applied to the painful area - Procedure Pulsed radiofrequency(PRF)
Pulsed radiofrequency applied to the target area for the treatment of myofascial pain syndrome
Primary outcome measures
- Pain Intensity [Time frame: Baseline, 1 month, and 3 months after treatment]
Secondary outcome measures (3)
- Pressure Pain Threshold [Time frame: Baseline, 1 month, and 3 months after treatment]
- Neck Disability Index (NDI) [Time frame: Baseline, 1 month, and 3 months after treatment]
- Quality of Life (SF-12 [Time frame: Baseline, 1 month, and 3 months after treatment]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- Age between 18 and 65 years
- Clinically diagnosed myofascial pain syndrome
- Back pain lasting at least 3 months
- Failure to respond to conservative treatments
Exclusion criteria
- History of cervical surgery or cervical disc pathology
- Fibromyalgia
- Shoulder pathologies
- Coagulation disorders or use of anticoagulant therapy
- Infection, malignancy, or inflammatory spinal diseases
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Model
- Parallel assignment
- Masking
- Open label
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
Study locations
Turkey (Türkiye) · 1 center
- Sakarya Training and Research Hospital — Adapazarı
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07511751 · MAS-TEZ--2026