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Assessing the Efficacy of Combining Dry Needling and Soft Tissue Mobilization for Treating Cervical Radiculopathy

1. Dr. VivekaKumari 2. Hafiza Mubashra 3. Hafiza Mubeen Sahar 4. Sarfraz Ahmad 5. Hasnain Haider

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Abstract

Introduction

Cervical Radiculopathy (CR) is caused by malfunction of the cervical nerve roots, which causes pain to radiate from the neck to the afflicted nerve root. The present study is aimed to identify the impact of combining dry needling with Soft Tissue Mobilization in the management of CR.

Methodology

The study was conducted at the physiotherapy OPD of tertiary care hospital. A Quasi Experimental study was conducted, and the sample consisted of twenty patients (N=20) with cervical radiculopathy (CR). The inclusion criteria for the study were patients aged 25 to 65 years with neck and arm pain for at least 3 months and corresponding herniation involving one cervical nerve root (C6 or C7) or spondylosis involving C6 and/or C7. Pain intensity of arm pain was required to be at least 4 on a scale from 0 to 10, and the Neck Disability Index (NDI) score had to be greater than 30.

Results

The study's findings revealed a considerable reduction in pain intensity, as measured by the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Patients' pain ratings decreased significantly, with A mean difference of 4.25 ± 1.25, at a statistically significant p-value of <0.05. Furthermore, at a p-value of <0.05, the Global Rating of Change (GROC) ratings revealed a statistically significant difference between pre and post-treatment circumstances, with an average change of 9.6  ± 1.60 points. This emphasizes the significant improvement in patients' overall opinion of their condition following the intervention.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the results of this study support the use of dry needling, combined with soft tissue mobilization, as an effective intervention for managing neck pain and disability in patients with unilateral cervical radiculopathy. The significant reduction in pain intensity, improved Global Rating of Change scores, and decreased Neck Disability Index scores highlight the positive impact of this intervention on pain management and functional outcomes.

Keywords

Neck Disability Index, Dry Needling, Pain, Cervical Radiculopathy