Effect of Acupuncture on Chronic Pelvic Pain Secondary to Abdominal Myofascial Syndrome Not Responsive to Local Anesthetic Block: A Pilot Study.

Strong evidence shows that 85% of women with chronic pelvic pain (CPP) have musculoskeletal disorders, such as abdominal myofascial pain syndrome (AMPS). The aim of this research was to assess the efficacy of local acupuncture treatment for women with CPP secondary to AMPS unresponsive to treatment with trigger-point injection. This pilot study involved 17 women with moderate-to-severe AMPS-related CPP. Acupuncture treatments were given at abdominal-wall trigger points once per week for 10 consecutive weeks. Pain relief was assessed with a visual analogue scale (VAS), the McGill questionnaire, and pressure dynamometer. Quality of life and psychosocial function (risk for anxiety and depression) were evaluated using the Short-Form-36 questionnaire and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale. Assessments were performed at baseline and after 1, 3, and 6 months of treatment. Both the VAS and McGill pain questionnaire showed significantly decreased pain intensity (VAS,  < 0.001; and McGill, 0.049), and the effects were sustained even at 6 months after treatment. Acupuncture treatment was effective for the women who participated in this study, and the current authors believe that these preliminary results suffice to recommend performing randomized controlled trials.