Study seeks optimal needling number for myofascial pain relief
NCT ID NCT04732507
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This study looks at how many times a needle should be passed through a trigger point to best relieve myofascial pain. 300 adults with chronic muscle pain will be randomly assigned to receive 2, 10, or 20 needle passes during their injection. Researchers will measure pain relief, sleep quality, and satisfaction to find the most effective approach.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- lidocaine and bupivacaine (numbing medicines)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could establish a standard for how many needle passes are needed to get the best pain relief from trigger point injections.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-phase study. It may not find a clear difference between groups, and results might not apply to all patients with myofascial pain.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Phase 2
Tests whether the treatment actually works, and watches for side effects, in a larger group.
- Participants
-
About 300 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
-
Apr 2021
- Expected to finish
-
Dec 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
18 years and older
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Able to speak, read and write English * Diagnosis of myofascial pain * Failed conservative therapy or unable to participate in physical therapy Exclusion Criteria: * Serious mental illness that may not enable the patient to perceive pain changes * History of conditions which may present as diffuse pain
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Myofascial pain are added.
Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
-
The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
-
The official record
The full official record for this study. This one lists no contact details, but it is the first place any would appear.
-
A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Banner University Medical Center Multispecialty Services Clinic
Tucson, Arizona, 85711, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Does stretchy tape really soothe knotted neck muscles?
- Can botox beat ibuprofen for jaw pain from teeth grinding?
- Could a simple sugar injection ease stubborn muscle pain?
- Ultrasound reveals how jaw pain treatments change muscles
- Can a few therapy sessions ease jaw pain and improve sleep?
- New muscle technique aims to loosen neck knots and boost grip strength