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Percutaneous Electrolysis of the Upper Trapezius in Chronic Neck Pain

RecruitingNot applicableNCT07294651
View the official record on ClinicalTrials.gov

Recruiting status changes often. Contact the study team listed on ClinicalTrials.gov, and talk to your doctor before joining a study.

This study has no listed site in Canada in this snapshot. It is included as part of the worldwide chronic pain corpus.

Brief summary (from the registry)

In the planned study, we aim to investigate the effectiveness of percutaneous electrolysis treatment applied to myofascial trigger points in the upper trapezius muscle in patients with chronic neck pain. Two different protocols, a low-intensity (0.5 mA × 90 s) and a high-intensity (3 mA × 3 s × 3 repetitions), will be compared in the study. Patients participating in the research will be randomized into 2 groups using a computer program. Stretching exercises targeting the upper trapezius muscle will be given to both groups as a home exercise program. In both groups, the percutaneous electrolysis treatment protocol will be performed on the active myofascial trigger points in the upper trapezius muscle on the 1st, 8th, and 14th days of treatment, using 0.3-millimeter acupuncture needles and an EPTE® percutaneous electrolysis device (Ionclinics \& A. Deionic SL, Valencia, Spain). The low-intensity (0.5 milliampere × 90 s) treatment protocol will be applied to Group 1, and the high-intensity (3 milliampere × 3 s × 3 repetitions) treatment protocol will be applied to Group 2. In the study, two different protocols, low-intensity (0.5 mA × 90 s) and high-intensity (3 mA × 3 s × 3 repetitions), will be compared. In this way, it is aimed both to obtain information about optimal dosing and to contribute to the literature for a frequently involved muscle such as the upper trapezius.

Study details

Official title
Effectiveness of Different Percutaneous Electrolysis Treatment Protocols Targeting the Upper Trapezius Muscle in Chronic Neck Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Conditions
  • Myofascial Pain of Upper Trapezius Muscle
Interventions
  • Device: Low-Intensity Percutaneous Electrolysis of the Upper Trapezius
  • Device: High-Intensity Percutaneous Electrolysis of the Upper Trapezius
  • Other: Upper Trapezius Stretching Exercise Program
Sponsor
Sivas State Hospital
Start date
2025-11-01
Primary completion
2026-04-01
Sex
All
Age range
from 18 Years to 70 Years
Results posted
No results posted in this snapshot
Countries
Turkey (Türkiye)
Total sites listed
1

Eligibility criteria

Show eligibility criteria (verbatim from the registry)
Inclusion Criteria: Patients who agree to participate in the study, are between 18 and 70 years of age, have had symptoms for at least 3 months, and have chronic neck pain with active myofascial trigger points in the upper trapezius muscle will be included. Exclusion Criteria: Patients with malignancy, active infection, a history of widespread inflammatory rheumatic disease or fibromyalgia, trauma, skin lesions, infection or open wounds at the myofascial trigger point region, coagulopathy, warfarin use, a history of spinal or shoulder disorders, previous neck or upper extremity surgery, acute illness, muscle diseases, epilepsy, use of sedative medications, needle phobia, previous dry needling treatment for myofascial pain, a cardiac pacemaker, metal implants in the treatment area, conditions that contraindicate physiotherapy such as pregnancy, or metal allergy will not be included in the study.

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov (US National Library of Medicine), snapshot October 2026. Check the registry for current recruiting status. Record: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07294651