Dry needling in alleviating pain and enhancing function in neck pain: a scoping review
Isabella Bartalotta, Nicola Marotta, Roberta Zito, Maria Sgro, Dario Calafiore, Francesco Agostini, Michele Vecchio, Umile Giuseppe Longo, Antonio Ammendolia, Alessandro de Sire
Neck pain is a common condition that often leads to disability and work absenteeism. This study aimed to review current understanding of the role of dry needling (DN) in reducing disability and pain in individuals with neck pain. A comprehensive literature search of the PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science databases was performed, following the criteria of the Scale for Assessment of Narrative Review Articles (SANRA). Two hundred and thirteen studies related to chronic non-specific neck pain (CNSNP) were identified. All were randomized controlled trials. Overall, the available evidence indicated that DN reduced pain in these patients and contributed to functional improvement in CNSNP. In conclusion, the evidence compiled for this scoping review supports the continued use of DN for the treatment of pain in patients with CNSNP, but does not demonstrate a clear advantage over physical or manual therapy in terms of improving function. Further high-quality studies are necessary to better understand the potential of this minimally-invasive approach for managing neck pain.
