Clinical research on a myofascial pain trigger point combining Baihui acupoint therapy of myofascial pain syndrome and living quality analysis

Objective: This study probes the clinical effectiveness and safety of a therapy of myofascial pain syndrome making use of both trigger point of myofascial pain and Baihui acupoint using clinical epidemiology, clinical research methodology and mathematical statistics analysis to further standardize its clinical effect for a better social benefit. Methods: We divided 150 patients with myofascial pain syndrome into trigger point+Baihui group (simplified as combination group), Baihui control group (simplified as Baihui group) and trigger point control group (simplified as trigger point group) in a point of 1:1:1. The treatment was given every other day in a course of 10 days. Observation lasted for one course of treatment. We collected data including pain rating index (PRI), pain degree in lesion sites, cervico-shoulder motion condition, improvement in pain degree and joint activity index, severity of tenderness and swelling, psychological condition, cephalalgia and motion range of cervical spine before and after treatment. Results: After treatment, patients in combination group showed a total improvement rate of dysphoria of 92%, which was significantly higher than that in Baihui group (76%) and trigger point group (74%) (P < 0.05). Total improvement rate of cephalalgia and dizziness was respectively 78%, 54% and 60% in three groups. The difference between combination group and those of the rest was significant (P < 0.05). There were significantly more conspicuous alleviation over cervical motion range, shoulder joint pain, medial and external rotation of shoulder (degree) in combination group than those in other two groups (P < 0/05). Pain index integral of complication group after treatment was 47.3 +/- 6.8, which was significantly higher than those of the other groups (P < 0.05). PRI perception, emotion and total integral of combination group was respectively 5.43 +/- 1.38, 3.12 +/- 0.98 and 8.55 +/- 3.39, which was significantly lower than other groups (P < 0.05). Symptoms like cervico-shoulder pain, pain and numbness of upper limbs, affected work and living ability, weakened muscle strength, difficulty in finishing backhand back touching and ear touching test were all alleviated significantly more in combination group than the other groups, while there was little difference within the rest groups. In all dimensions of living quality but material life there existed significant difference among groups, which was rather notable in physiological, psychological and social functional dimensions, indicating that subjective state of patients was more affected than their objective state. Conclusion: This study primarily proved that the therapy making use of both trigger point of MPS and acupuncture of Baihui acupoint can significantly alleviate clinical signs of patients with MPS and enhance flexibility of their shoulder joint. It serves as a method of spasmolysis, analgesia and arthrolysis, elevating patients' quality of life and work effectively.