PRINCIPLES AND SCIENTIFIC BASE OF THE "DRY NEEDLING" IN PHYSIOTHERAPY

Miofascijalni bolni sindrom je sindrom karakteriziran boli uzrokovanom miofascijalnim trigger točkama. Dry needling je nefarmakološka metoda tretmana miofascijalnog bolnog sindroma kod koje se akupunkturna igla inserira u miofascijalnu trigger točku te tako dolazi do njene deaktivacije čime se smanjuje bol. Postoji više vrsta dry needlinga, a osnovna podjela je na površinski i dubinski dry needling. Kako bi se dry needling mogao sigurno provoditi, potrebno je da terapeut posjeduje izvrsno znanje iz anatomije kako bi se smanjio rizik od povrede okolnih struktura. Osnovni cilj dry needlinga je izazivanje lokalnog trzajnog odgovora što označava da je igla dosegla trigger točku. Tretman dry needlingom obuhvaća edukaciju i pristanak pacijenta, pripremu terapeuta i pacijenta, pozicioniranje pacijenta, palpaciju trigger točaka, samu primjenu dry needlinga te njegu nakon tretmana. Brojnim je istraživanjima potvrđena učinkovitost dry needlinga u različitim medicinskim stanjima kao što su glavobolje, bolovi u donjem dijelu leđa, hipertonus, disfunkcija temporomandibularnog zgloba itd. Cilj završnog rada je prikazati primjenu dry needling metode unutar fizioterapijskog procesa kao i njezinu znanstveno učinkovitost.A myofascial pain syndrome is characterized by pain caused by myofascial trigger points. Trigger points arise in response to an injury, overload, muscle imbalance or postural abnormality. Dry needling is non-pharmacological method of treating myofascial pain syndrome in which the acupuncture needle is inserted into the myofascial trigger point and thus deactivates it thereby reducing pain. There are several types of dry needling and the basic classification is on superficial and deep dry needling. In order for a dry needling to be carried out safely, the therapist needs to have an excellent knowledge of anatomy in order to reduce the risk of injury of surrounding structures. The basic goal of dry needling is to induce a local twitch response, which indicates that the needle has reached the trigger point. Treatment of dry needling involves patient education and consent, therapist and patient preparation, patient positioning, trigger point palpation, application of dry needling and after treatment care. Numerous studies have confirmed the effectiveness of dry needling in various medical conditions such as headaches, lower back pain, hypertonus, temporomandibular joint dysfunction, etc. The aim of the final thesis is to demonstrate dry needling as a method within physiotherapy process and its scientific evidence