Author: Chiou YF1, Yeh ML2, Wang YJ3
Affiliation: <sup>1</sup>Department of Nursing, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
<sup>2</sup>Graduate Institute of Integration of Traditional Chinese Medicine With Western Nursing, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
<sup>3</sup>Department of Nursing, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Conference/Journal: Rehabil Nurs.
Date published: 2019 Jan 25
Other:
Special Notes: doi: 10.1097/RNJ.0000000000000198. [Epub ahead of print] , Word Count: 178
PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation at acupuncture points versus trigger points on myofascial pain, moods, and sleep quality.
DESIGN: A randomized controlled study recruited 64 patients with spinal cord injury with myofascial pain.
METHODS: Outcomes of pain, moods, and sleep quality were measured and analyzed by the generalized estimation equation, analysis of covariance, and paired t test. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation was applied for seven consecutive days at Hegu (LI4) and Daling (PC7) acupuncture points or myofascial trigger points.
FINDING: Significant differences were found in pain intensity from Day 3 forward, after controlling for confounders. Significant within-group differences were found in pain, moods, and sleep quality.
CONCLUSIONS: Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation at acupuncture and trigger points effectively improved pain, moods, and sleep quality in patients with spinal cord injury with myofascial pain. Acupuncture points had superior improvement in pain intensity and slight improvement in sleep quality than did trigger points.
CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation at acupuncture points could be applied for improving myofascial pain.
PMID: 30694996 DOI: 10.1097/RNJ.0000000000000198