Pilot Evaluation of Dry Needling With Intramuscular Stimulation in Fibromyalgia

Abstract

Background: Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder characterized by widespread pain and heightened pain sensitivity, and while dry needling has shown promise, evidence for added intramuscular electrical stimulation remains limited (2,4,5). Objective: To estimate a preliminary pain-related signal and generate sample-size planning parameters for dry needling plus intramuscular electrical stimulation (DN+IMS) versus dry needling alone (DN) in adults with fibromyalgia. Methods: In an assessor-blinded, parallel-group pilot randomized design, 12 participants were allocated 1:1 to DN+IMS or DN (n=6 per group). Pain intensity was measured using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS, 0–10) at baseline and end point, and results were summarized descriptively for planning. Results: Baseline NPRS was comparable between groups (DN+IMS: 7.20±1.70; DN: 7.30±1.90), indicating adequate baseline equivalence. At end point, NPRS was lower in DN+IMS (4.55±1.90) than DN (5.90±1.70), yielding a between-group mean difference of 1.35 points with pooled SD≈1.80 and Cohen’s d≈0.75. Conclusion: The pilot suggested a moderate-to-large preliminary analgesic signal favoring DN+IMS and provided planning parameters (Δ=1.35; σ=1.80) to inform the sample size of a definitive randomized controlled trial using NPRS as the primary endpoint.