Study of Adding Greater Occipital Nerve Block to Trigger Point Injection for Adults 18 to 65 With Neck Pain from Upper Trapezius Trigger Points

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to evaluate whether adding a Greater Occipital Nerve GON block to standard trigger point injection treatment can better relieve pain and improve daily function in adults with neck pain caused by upper trapezius trigger points. The study focuses on patients diagnosed with myofascial pain syndrome and seeks to clarify if combining these treatments offers more benefits than trigger point injections alone. Participants are randomly assigned to two groups one group receives trigger point injections into the upper trapezius muscle using a mix of lidocaine and saline, while the other group receives the same trigger point injections plus an ultrasound-guided GON block with lidocaine and steroid. Both groups follow a home exercise program for neck muscle stretching and strengthening, with weekly phone follow-ups to monitor progress. The study lasts 12 months and includes single-blind assessment to reduce bias. Patients will be evaluated before treatment, and then 1 and 4 weeks after treatment using pain scales Visual Analog Scale and McGill Pain Questionnaire, neck disability indexes, quality of life profiles, neck movement tests, and posture analysis. Safety and treatment effects will be closely monitored throughout the study. The main goal is to determine if the combined treatment improves pain and function more than trigger point injections alone.

Efficacy of Adding Greater Occipital Nerve Block to Trigger Point Injection in Patients With Neck Pain