Comparison of the Efficacy of Ultrasound and Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapies in Patients with Myofascial Pain Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Study

Objective: Evaluation and comparison of the efficacy of ultrasound [US] and extracorporeal shock wave therapy [ESWT] in the treatment of myofascial pain syndrome. Methods: Sixty-six patients with active myofascial trigger points in the trapezius muscle were randomized into treatment groups with US and three sessions of ESWT. Efficacy of the therapies were evaluated prior to therapy at 3 weeks and at 3 months of therapy using the Patient Global Assessment and Physician’s Global Assessment scales, Neck Pain and Disability Scale, Nottingham Health Profile, and Hamilton Anxiety Scale. Results: No severe complications were encountered with US and ESWT, and patients tolerated the therapies well overall. Statistically significant improvement was determined in the number of trigger points, pain, quality of life, and anxiety scores in post-therapy evaluations [p50.01]. Efficacy of therapies in inter-group comparison was evaluated in terms of improvement in the same scores, and the ESWT group had greater improvement when the anxiety scores were excluded [p50.05]. Conclusion: Our results indicated that both US and ESWT were effective and safe treatment modalities in myofascial pain syndrome. Three sessions of low dosage ESWT was more effective compared to US therapy that could be used as an effective and safe modality in the treatment protocols of myofascial pain syndrome.