Dry Needling and Patients Treatment Expectations
ConditionNeck Pain; Dry Needling; Motivation
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18-65
SponsorUniversity of Alcala
About this trial
Objectives The aim of this study is to compare the effects of inducing positive expectations against negative or neutral induced expectations on the activation of the Autonomic Nervous System and the analgesic response, after a dry needling technique in upper trapezius fibers in patients with unspecific neck pain.
Summary Theoretical framework: Dry needling has proven its efficacy for the treatment of myofascial trigger points. Moreover, it has proven its effects over the Central Nervous System and the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS). Despite that previous studies have researched the role of patient's expectations and their relationship with the results of treatment, there is insufficient information concerning the effects of inducing expectations and the activation of the ANS during the application of widely used therapies, such as dry needling.
Eligibility criteria
This trial does not accept healthy volunteersQualifiers
Neck pain.
Hiperalgesic point in Upper trapezius muscle.
Disqualifiers
Pain Irradiation toward upper limb
Psychological disorders
Whiplash.
Neuropathic symptoms
Trial design
Design model
Parallel
Treatments tested in this trial
Positive expectation AND dry needling in the upper trapezius fibers, at the most painful point
Other interventionThe subjects will received the same treatment, using dry needling in the upper trapezius fibers, at the most painful point after receiving the corresponding message.
Neutral expectation AND dry needling in the upper trapezius fibers, at the most painful point
Other interventionThe subjects will received the same treatment, using dry needling in the upper trapezius fibers, at the most painful point after receiving the corresponding
Negative expectation AND dry needling in the upper trapezius fibers, at the most painful point
Other interventionThe subjects will received the same treatment, using dry needling in the upper trapezius fibers, at the most painful point after receiving the corresponding
Treatment groups
45 Participants
are divided into 3 treatment groupsGroup A: • Group 1. Positive expectationExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Group B: • Group 2. Neutral ExpectationActive comparator 1 intervention
Group C: • Group 3. Negative ExpectationActive comparator 1 intervention
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Skin conductance (µS).
It is the measure of the variations in the electrical resistance of the skin, caused by the excitation of the sweat glands, controlled by the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS)
Time frame
Change from baseline at twenty minutesSecondary outcomes
1
Heart rate variability
This variable is defined as the variation of the heartbeat in a previously defined period in an analysis of consecutive circadian periods. It measures the time in milliseconds between the R waves of two consecutive beats (known as the RR interval) and is widely used in the field of Cardiology for the stratification of patients after an acute myocardial infarction. It has also been shown to be a useful tool in detecting ANS activation.
Time frame
Change from baseline at twenty minutes2
Pain intensity
It will be collected through the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). It is a continuous scale, which consists of a 100 mm horizontal straight line, so that zero is equivalent to "total absence of pain" and 100 to "more bearable pain.
Time frame
Change from baseline at twenty minutes3
Pressure pain threshold
The pressure pain threshold is defined as the minimum amount of pressure necessary to cause pain. It has been measured through a Force Dial FDK using a mechanical Force Gage (Wagner Instruments).
Time frame
Change from baseline at twenty minutes.Sponsors and contacts
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Source ClinicalTrials.gov