Needle therapy shows promise for stubborn neck pain

This study tested whether dry needling—a technique where thin needles are inserted into muscle knots—combined with neck exercises can reduce pain and improve movement in people with chronic mechanical neck pain. Forty adults aged 25 to 65 were split into two groups: one received dry needling plus exercises, the other got standard treatments like TENS and ultrasound plus the same exercises. Both groups were treated three times a week for four weeks. Researchers measured changes in disability, pain sensitivity, and neck mobility to see which approach worked better.