Impact of Trigger Point Dry Needling on Neck Pain, Sleep, and Depression in Patients with Fibromyalgia

Introduction: The study aimed to assess the effectiveness of dry needling (DN) for neck pain in fibromyalgia caused by myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) in the trapezius muscle. Methods: Fibromiyalgia patients who were treated with DN were retrieved from the hospital database. The study included people with trapezius MTrPs-related neck pain who were between the ages of 18 and 65 and had a two-month follow-up. DN treatment was applied to MTrPs in the trapezius muscle once a week for 4 sessions. Demographic data for the patients were recorded from their files. Before treatment and four weeks after the program was finished, all patients underwent evaluations. In each evaluation we assessed pain, neck disability, sleep quality, anxiety and depression and fibromyalgia severity with visual analogue scale (VAS), Neck Disability Index (NDI), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Hospital Anxiety Depression scale (HADS) and Fibromiyalgia Impact scale (FIQ), respectively. Results: In patients with FMS with neck discomfort, DN therapy administered to MTrPs in the trapezius muscle once per week for four sessions was beneficial in the short term. Additionally, with this treatment quality of sleep and life of the patients were improved; anxiety, depression levels, and pain severity were also significantly reduced. Statistically significant improvement was found in VAS, NDI, PSQI, HADS, and FIQ scores (for all parameters; p<0.001). Conclusion: For better management of patients with FMS patients, MTrPs should not be ignored. DN treatment should also be among the treatment options as an effective treatment.