Background and Purpose: Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic pain condition that impairs quality of life due to widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and cognitive dysfunction. Despite numerous therapeutic approaches, optimal pain relief remains a challenge. This study compares the efficacy of dry needling and stretching exercises in reducing pain and improving the quality of life in fibromyalgia patients.Methodology: A comparative study was conducted with 40 fibromyalgia patients, divided into two groups: Group A received dry needling, and Group B performed stretching exercises. Pain intensity was measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), while quality of life was assessed with the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). Both interventions were administered twice weekly for four weeks.
Results: Both groups showed significant reductions in VAS scores post-intervention. However, Group A (dry needling) demonstrated a greater reduction in pain (mean VAS score from 8.55 to 2.75) compared to Group B (mean VAS score from 7.95 to 5.45). Group A also exhibited a more pronounced improvement in SF-36 scores, increasing from 22.75 to 67.25, while Group B’s SF-36 scores rose from 18.50 to 36.75.
Conclusion: Dry needling was more effective than stretching exercises in reducing pain and enhancing the quality of life in fibromyalgia patients. These findings suggest that dry needling may offer faster pain relief, while stretching serves as a complementary long-term management strategy. Future research should explore the combined effects of these interventions.
