Changes in a patient with neck pain after application of ischemic compression as a trigger point therapy

To describe the immediate effects of ischemic compression (IC) as a trigger point therapy in a case of a patient with neck pain. The application of IC is a safe and effective method to successfully treat elicited myofascial trigger points. The purpose of this method is to deliberate the blockage of blood in a trigger point area in order to increase local blood flow. This washes away waste products, supplies necessary oxygen and helps the affected tissue to heal. In this case study, we treated a 27-year-old female patient with a medical report of neck pain for at least four months. The physical examination revealed a neck pain and stiffness at the left side and pain increases when moving the neck. An active myofascial trigger point was found in the left trapezius muscle. The following data were recorded: active range of motion of cervical rachis measured with a cervical range of motion instrument, basal electrical activity of the left trapezius measured with electromyography, and pressure tolerance of the myofascial trigger point measured with visual analogue scale, assessing local pain evoked by the application of 2.5 kg/cm2 pressure with an analogue algometer.

Immediately after application of the IC, all measured parameters improved compared to base line. The application of IC has been shown effective in the treatment of myofascial trigger points in a patient with neck pain. The results show a relation between active range of motion of cervical rachis, basal electrical activity of the trapezius muscle and myofascial trigger point sensitivity.

In this case of a patient with neck pain, active range of motion of cervical rachis, basal electrical activity of the trapezius muscle and myofascial trigger point sensitivity gaining short-term positive effects with the application of one single ischemic compression session. Nevertheless, randomized controlled double-blinded studies should be conducted in future to examine the effectiveness of this ischemic compression technique in case of the presence of myofascial trigger points in the neck.