Avaliação da acupuntura, da eletroacupuntura e da acupuntura sham no tratamento da dor miofascial na parte superior do músculo trapézio

Author(s)

Maria Fernanda Montans Aranha

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: Piracicaba, SP.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Faculdade de Odontologia de Piracicaba
• Defense date: 2014-02-24

Examining board members

Maria Beatriz Duarte Gavião; Cinara Maria Camparis Bussadori; Adalberto Vieira Corazza; Cristiane Rodrigues Pedroni; Fernando Augusto de Oliveira Ribeiro

• Advisor: Maria Beatriz Duarte Gavião

Abstract

Myofascial pain (MP), caused by myofascial trigger points (MTrP), is of the main cause of headache and neck pain. It is associated with muscular stiffness, stress and can influence the quality of life of symptomatic patients. Ultrasound images of dysfunctional tissue have been used aiming to objectively evaluate the myofascia trigger point. Aiming to evaluate the effect of acupuncture and electroacupuncture on the treatment of MP at the upper trapezius muscle, sixty women aged between 18 and 40 years old, body max index between 19 and 30 Kg/m2, presenting at least one trigger point at the upper trapezius and local or referred pain for more than six months were randomized in to and three groups: electroacupuncture (EAC), acupuncture (AC) and SHAM-acupuncture (SHAM). Both examiner (CEEM) and volunteers were blinded to the treatments. The selected acupoints were VB20, VB21, F3 and IG4, besides a maximum of 2 "ashi points" in each upper trapezius. The effectiveness of treatment (eight sessions), as well as it maintenance till one month follow up, were evaluated concerning the intensity of pain (Visual analog scale: VAS), range of motion (fleximetry), quality of life (SF-36), stress (area under the curve to the ground: AUCG; cortisol awaking response: CAR) and ultrasound image (area of MTrP). Influencing factors and the menstrual cycle phases were monitored. According to its distribution, data were analyzed by pared t-test, Wilcoxon signed rank, ANOVA repeated measures, Friedman test, ANOVA or Kruskal Wallis. Pearson¿s correlation was applied. The level of significance was set in ?= 0.05. It was observed reduction on general pain (GP) on treated groups after all sessions (EA: P<0.001; AC: P<0.001). After treatment, intensity of pain on the right trapezius (RTPz) decreased in the EA (P<0.001) and AC (P=0.025) groups, but on the left trapezius (LTPz) it was only observed in the EA group (P<0.001). There was interaction of factor "time of evaluation" with factor "group" for GP in the AC and EA groups; and for pain at the RTPz and LTPz only in the EA group. There was increase on rotation to the left in the EA group (P=0.049) and on inclination and rotation to the right on group AC (P=0.005; P=0.032). There was increase on AUCG (P=0.006) and CAR (P<0.001) in the AC group. While SHAM presented significant increase only on bodily pain (P=0.005), EA and AC showed increase at the same following domains, with respectively P values: physical function (P=0.011; P=0.016), role physical (P=0.027; P=0.13), bodily pain (P=0.010; P=0.003), general health (P=0.017; P=0.011), vitality (P=0.010; P=0.011), mental health (P=0.018; P=0.014) and physical components (P=0.019; 0.002). It was observed a decrease on MTrP area (US) in the groups EA (TPzD: P<0.001; TPzE: P=0.001) and AC (RTPz e LTPz P<0.001), and in the SHAM groups only at the LTPz (P=0.036). The EA group has shown to be more effective on pain relief when compared to other groups. Both AC and EA were effectiveness improving tissue morphology (US) and quality of life. AC seems to be more indicated to the decrease stress and increase cervical range of motion than EA in women with myofascial pain at the upper trapezius (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 10/11684-0 - Evaluation of acupuncture and electroacupuncture on the treatment of the upper trapezius myofascial pain- a duble blinded, randomized, placebo controlled study.
• Grantee: Maria Fernanda Montans Aranha
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate