The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of trigger point injection on the motor point in the chronic pain produced by untreated radiculopathy. The clinical manifestations of the radiculopathy include dermatomal, myotomal and sclerotomal changes. The tenderness of the motor point is the one of myotomal changes of the radiculopathy.
We studied 78 radiculopathy patients confirmed by electromyography, MRI, CT or myelography and classified into 4 groups(A: 4th lumbar radiculopathy, B: 5th lumbar radiculopathy, C: 5th lumbar and 1st sacral mixed type, D: 1st sacral radiculopathy) by the distribution of the radicular pain, dermatomal change and motor weakness. The patients were taken drug, physical theraphy and trigger point injection on the muscles of relevant myotome. 30 radiculopathic patients taken only drug and physical theraphy were studied for control.
The VAS(Visual Analogue Scale) improvement ratio of the study group was 64.7% and the control group was 40.9%(p<0.01).
