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Dry Needling and Patients Treatment Expectations

NCT04636879 · Status: RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 45

Last updated 2026-05-01

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Objectives The aim of this study is to compare the effects of inducing positive expectations against negative or neutral induced expectations on the activation of the Autonomic Nervous System and the analgesic response, after a dry needling technique in upper trapezius fibers in patients with unspecific neck pain.

Summary Theoretical framework: Dry needling has proven its efficacy for the treatment of myofascial trigger points. Moreover, it has proven its effects over the Central Nervous System and the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS). Despite that previous studies have researched the role of patient's expectations and their relationship with the results of treatment, there is insufficient information concerning the effects of inducing expectations and the activation of the ANS during the application of widely used therapies, such as dry needling.

Conditions

  • Neck Pain; Dry Needling; Motivation

Interventions

OTHER

Positive expectation AND dry needling in the upper trapezius fibers, at the most painful point

The subjects will received the same treatment, using dry needling in the upper trapezius fibers, at the most painful point after receiving the corresponding message.

OTHER

Neutral expectation AND dry needling in the upper trapezius fibers, at the most painful point

The subjects will received the same treatment, using dry needling in the upper trapezius fibers, at the most painful point after receiving the corresponding

OTHER

Negative expectation AND dry needling in the upper trapezius fibers, at the most painful point

The subjects will received the same treatment, using dry needling in the upper trapezius fibers, at the most painful point after receiving the corresponding

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • University of Alcala

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Daniel Pecos-Martin, PhD · Alcala University

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
65 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2021-02-23
Primary Completion
2026-09-05
Completion
2026-11-05

Countries

  • Spain

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT04636879 on ClinicalTrials.gov