This study systematically reviewed the clinical efficacy of acupuncture for lumbar myofascial pain syndrome. The randomized controlled trials (RCTs) regarding acupuncture for lumbar myofascial pain syndrome were searched in PubMed
Cochrane Library
Web of Science
EMbase
Scopus
China national knowledge infrastructure (CNKI)
Wanfang database
VIP database
and China biomedical literature service system (SinoMed) from database inception until August 1st
2022. The Cochrane's risk of bias assessment tool was used to assess the risk of bias in all included studies
and Review Manager 5.3 software was used for statistical analysis of the extracted data. As a result
12 RCTs
involving 1 087 patients with lumbar myofascial pain syndrome
were ultimately included. The Meta-analysis results showed that the visual analog scale (VAS) score of pain in the observation group was lower than those in the oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication control [
SMD
=-1.67
95%
CI
(-2.44
-0.90)
Z
=4.26
P
<
0.000 1
]
and other treatment control [low-frequency electrical stimulation
tuina
electromagnetic wave irradiation combined with piroxicam gel
SMD
=-1.98
95%
CI
(-2.48
-1.48)
Z
=7.74
P
<
0.000 01
]
. The pain rating index (PRI)
score in the observation group was lower than those in the lidocaine injection control [
MD
=-2.17
95%
CI
(-3.41
-0.93)
Z
=3.44
P
=0.000 6
]
and other treatment control [low-frequency electrical stimulation
tuina
MD
=-5.75
95%
CI
(-9.97
-1.53)
Z
=2.67
P
=0.008
]
. The present pain intensity (PPI) score in the observation group was lower than that in other treatment control [low-frequency electrical stimulation
tuina
MD
=-1.04
95%
CI
(-1.55
-0.53)
Z
=4.01
P
<
0.000 1
]
. In conclusion
compared with oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication
low-frequency electrical stimulation
tuina
and electromagnetic wave irradiation combined with piroxicam gel
acupuncture is more effective in reducing pain in patients with lumbar myofascial pain syndrome; acupuncture also exhibites advantage over lidocaine injection in improving PRI score and showed better outcomes over
tuina
and low-frequency electrical stimulation in improving PRI and PPI scores.
Tough EA , White AR , Cummings TM , et al . Acupuncture and dry needling in the management of myofascial trigger point pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials [J ] . Eur J Pain , 2009 , 13 ( 1 ): 3 - 10 .
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Related Author
SUN Linxi
WEI Xuqiang
WANG Ke
YE Zi
ZHOU Jia
XIA Wenxin
LI Xiaoxiao
HAN Yongsheng
Related Institution
Clinical Research Office of Acupuncture Anesthesia, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of TCM
Graduate School of Shanghai University of TCM
Institute of Neurology, Anhui University of CM
Wannan Medical College
Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of TCM