The use of dry needling vs. corticosteroid injection to treat lateral epicondylitis: a prospective, randomized, controlled study

UYGUR M. E. , Aktas B., Yilmazoglu E. G.

JOURNAL OF SHOULDER AND ELBOW SURGERY, vol.30, no.1, pp.134-139, 2021 (Peer-Reviewed Journal) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 30 Issue: 1
  • Publication Date: 2021
  • Doi Number: 10.1016/j.jse.2020.08.044
  • Journal Name: JOURNAL OF SHOULDER AND ELBOW SURGERY
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded, Scopus, EMBASE, MEDLINE
  • Page Numbers: pp.134-139
  • Keywords: Dry needling, lateral epicondylalgia, lateral epicondylitis, corticosteroid, injection, PLATELET-RICH PLASMA, SHOCK-WAVE THERAPY, DOUBLE-BLIND, TENNIS ELBOW, PAIN

Abstract

Background: Lateral epicondylitis (LE) is a common disease especially at middle age. Different types of treatments have been used to address LE. Corticosteroid (CS) injections and dry needling (DN) are utilized options in the treatment. However, the question of which one is better has not been entirely discussed in the literature. We hypothesized that the use of DN to treat LE would be at least as effective as using CS injections. We compared the pain relief afforded and improvements in functional disability after DN and CS injection.