The Benefit of a Mechanical Needle Stimulation Pad in Patients with Chronic Neck and Lower Back Pain: Two Randomized Controlled Pilot Studies
Table 2
Pre- to posttreatment changes (mean and standard deviation) and estimated group differences (from analysis of covariance) of outcome parameters. Bold values indicate significant values.
Control group
Needle stimulus pad
Estimated difference (95% CL)
Pre
Post
Pain (Numeric Rating Scale)
Neck pain
4.4 (1.8)
4.5 (2.2)
4.9 (2.0)
3.4 (2.7)
0.021
Lower back pain
4.9 (1.9)
5.4 (1.9)
5.0 (2.3)
3.2 (2.2)
<0.001
Function (Neck Pain Questionnaire NPQ or Oswestry Disease Index ODI)
Neck pain
33.2 (11.1)
32.5 (9.2)
36.3 (13.5)
26.5 (15.7)
0.028
Lower back pain
25.0 (13.9)
19.9 (10.9)
22.8 (14.5)
18.8 (14.6)
0.4 (−4.8to 5.6)
0.878
Log pressure pain threshold (PPT) area of maximum pain
Neck pain
2.303 (0.168)
2.311 (0.182)
2.193 (0.221)
2.314 (0.264)
0.106 (0.013 to 0.198)
0.032
Lower back pain
2.548 (0.186)
2.534 (0.170)
2.552 (0.150)
2.619 (0.110)
0.082 (0.021 to 0.144)
0.013
Log pressure pain threshold (PPT) 10 cm close to maximum pain
Neck pain
2.358 (0.173)
2.319 (0.142)
2.331 (0.202)
2.380 (0.264)
0.064
Lower back pain
2.588 (0.178)
2.534 (0.170)
2.570 (0.138)
2.596 (0.109)
0.038
Log mechanical detection threshold (MDT) area of maximum pain
Neck pain
0.118 (0.316)
0.174 (0.369)
0.129 (0.480)
0.132 (0.347)
0.726
Lower back pain
0.477 (0.598)
0.342 (0.526)
0.423 (0.375)
0.486 (0.413)
0.156
Log mechanical detection threshold (MDT) 10 cm close to maximum pain
Neck pain
0.712
Lower back pain
0.563 (0.491)
0.376 (0.499)
0.317 (0.435)
0.359 (0.449)
0.224
Vibration detection threshold (VDT) area of maximum pain
Neck pain
6.7 (1.4)
6.7 (0.9)
6.3 (1.3)
6.1 (1.5)
0.247
Lower back pain
3.8 (2.0)
4.1 (1.7)
4.2 (1.7)
4.2 (1.9)
0.514
Vibration detection threshold (VDT) 10 cm close to maximum pain
