Evaluation of the Effect of Dextrose Prolotherapy Versus Dry Needling Therapy

Overview

The hypertonic dextrose injection; Prolotherapy is a proliferation injection therapy that aims to trigger a low-grade inflammatory response inside the (TMJ), with the resultant captivation of abundant fibroblasts that regenerate and strengthen the tendinous and ligamentous attachments and stabilize the disc and the fibro-osseous junctions. On the other hand, dry needling' refers to the insertion of needles without the use of injectate. Dry needling is beneficial for treating a variety of neuromusculoskeletal pain syndromes as it represents a treatment modality for the ligaments and tendons, muscles, subcutaneous fascia, peripheral nerves, and neurovascular bundles. Deep dry needling (DDN) is a technique that utilizes the Intracapsular insertion of dry needles to approach the discal insertion to the lateral pterygoid muscle and the masseteric muscle origin, along the zygomatic bone and arch, aiming to inactivate the muscular trigger points (TPs).

The Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) represents the most complex synovial articulation in the human body, with its articular disc enclosed between the articular tubercle's slope and the convexity of the mandibular condyle. Although the Magnetic resonance interpretation of the normal discal position defines the posterior discal band atop the highest convexity of the mandibular condyle, at a 12 o'clock position, this discal disposal is altered in almost 30% of the population without physical signs. Which rendered the treatment of the discal displacement mainly dependent on alleviating the signs and symptoms rather than restoring the anatomical disc position. Various non-invasive therapeutic modalities are utilized for relieving the signs and symptoms of anterior discal displacement, including physical therapy, exercises, ischemic compression, heat therapy, acupuncture, dry needling, wet needling injections with different agents, and pharmacological treatments. Among those, the trigger point injection is an effective modality, with or without the injection of saline or ringer's solutions, hyaluronic acid, corticosteroids, local anesthetics, botulinum toxin, platelet-rich plasma, or hypertonic dextrose The current study aims to design a randomized controlled trial that compares the effect of injecting 12.5 % of dextrose solution intraarticular and into the myofascial trigger points versus the dry needling of the same sites on alleviating the clinical signs and symptoms of (TMJ) disc displacement with reduction.