Evidence map›Paper›PMID 25125935›Full record

ArticleThe Journal of manual & manipulative therapy2014

Adverse events following trigger point dry needling: a prospective survey of chartered physiotherapists.

Sarah Brady, Johnson McEvoy, Jan Dommerholt, Catherine Doody

Registry-linked trialAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in The Journal of manual & manipulative therapy, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07672093 (Effects of Dry Needling and Electrical Dry Needling on Latent Myofascial Trigger Points of the Extensor Digitorum Communis), which is not on this map. Cited by 63 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
63citing papers in PubMed, 6 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT07672093 narecruitingnot on this mapstarted 2026, after this paper: background citation

Effects of Dry Needling and Electrical Dry Needling on Latent Myofascial Trigger Points of the Extensor Digitorum Communis: A Randomized Clinical Trial

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversity Rovira i VirgiliRan2026 to 2026Enrolled150ConditionsDry Needling Technique, Trigger Point Pain, Physical TherapyArmsHong fast-in and fast-out dry needling, Rotational dry needling, Bipolar electrical dry needling, Monopolar electrical dry needling
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

63 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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  4. Risk of Hepatitis C Virus Transmission through Acupuncture: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.The Korean journal of gastroenterology = Taehan Sohwagi Hakhoe chi · 2023
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3 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Sarah BradySchool of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Population Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Ireland.
Johnson McEvoyUniversity of Limerick, Ireland.
Jan DommerholtShenandoah University, Winchester, VA, USA.
Catherine DoodySchool of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Population Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Ireland.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTrigger point dry needling (TrP-DN) is commonly used to treat persons with myofascial pain, but no studies currently exist investigating its safety. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of Adverse Events (AEs) associated with the use of TrP-DN by a sample of physiotherapists in Ireland.

methodsA prospective survey was undertaken consisting of two forms recording mild and significant AEs. Physiotherapists who had completed TrP-DN training with the David G Simons Academy (DGSA) were eligible to take part in the study. Data were collected over a ten-month period.

resultsIn the study, 39 physiotherapists participated and 1463 (19.18%) mild AEs were reported in 7629 treatments with TrP-DN. No significant AEs were reported giving an estimated upper risk rate for significant AEs of less than or equal to (≤) 0.04%. Common AEs included bruising (7.55%), bleeding (4.65%), pain during treatment (3.01%), and pain after treatment (2.19%). Uncommon AEs were aggravation of symptoms (0.88%), drowsiness (0.26%), headache (0.14%), and nausea (0.13%). Rare AEs were fatigue (0.04%), altered emotions (0.04%), shaking, itching, claustrophobia, and numbness, all 0.01%. DISCUSSION: While mild AEs were very commonly reported in this study of TrP-DN, no significant AEs occurred. For the physiotherapists surveyed, TrP-DN appeared to be a safe treatment.

Indexed as

Adverse eventsDry needlingMyofascial pain

Identifiers

PMID25125935
PMCPMC4101552

What OpenQuestion holds

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Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.