Treatment Validation for Myofascial Pain

"The examiner will use the repeated tapping technique of Travel and Simmons in the active condition in the painful tender points and TPs. In the sham treatment, the needle tip retracts when pushed against the skin (like a ballpoint pen), and the subject feels a pointy object on their skin, which does not penetrate. Prior studies have shown that this is a credible placebo condition. Prior studies have also shown that one dry needling session is effective at least temporarily for 1-2 weeks, AND that US correlates of TPs improve as well"

Half of the subjects will receive a sham needle instead which puts pressure on the skin but does not penetrate the skin (like a ballpoint pen with the tip retracted pushing on the skin). Since manual pressure over myofascial tender and trigger points is also an accepted treatment, the sham procedure could also be therapeutic, although we do not think it will be very effective.

"A NUN biomarker measurement means checking the level of a certain substance (the NUN biomarker) in your body that can give investigators clues about your condition.~Measuring the NUN biomarker helps investigators see if a treatment is working or if your condition is changing."