Evaluation of Two Treatment Options in Myofascial Pain Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation versus Trigger
Cheena Singh1, Nada Mohamed Ahmed Suliman2, Amit Kumar Bansal3
1Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Post Graduate Institute of Dental Sciences, Rohtak, Haryana, India.
Introduction:
Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is a familiar musculoskeletal disorder regarded as trigger points causing pain and functional limitation. This research was done to assess the efficacy of trigger point injection (TPI) and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) in treating MPS.
Materials And Methods:
This research included 32 patients diagnosed with MPS, equally divided into Group A (TENS) and Group B (TPIs). Pain intensity was measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and functional outcome was assessed using range of motion. TENS was administered using standard parameters, whereas TPI was performed using 2% lidocaine under aseptic conditions. Statistical analysis was conducted using paired and independent t-tests, with P < 0.05.
Results:
Both groups showed statistically considerable reduction in pain (P < 0.001). The TENS group demonstrated a decrease in mean VAS, whereas the TPI group showed a greater reduction. Intergroup comparison revealed significantly superior outcomes in the TPI group (P < 0.001). Percentage pain reduction was higher in TPI (61.2%) compared to TENS (40.3%). Functional perfection was also better in the TPI group (30%) than in the TENS group (21%). Effect size analysis confirmed a stronger clinical impact of TPI.
Conclusion:
Both TENS and TPI are effective in managing MPS; however, TPI demonstrates superior short-term efficacy, while TENS remains a safe and noninvasive alternative.
