Effects of warm silver needle acupuncture combined with myofascial trigger point intervention on peripheral neutrophil autophagy and alleviation of chronic pelvic pain in women.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the single and combined therapeutic effects of warm silver needle acupuncture and myofascial trigger point (MTrP) intervention on chronic pelvic pain (CPP).

METHODS

CPP patients underwent treatment with warm silver needle acupuncture and/or MTrP intervention, and the therapeutic efficacy of each method was evaluated. Peripheral blood neutrophil autophagy and related plasma inflammatory factors, including IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), were measured.

RESULTS

Our findings indicated that both warm silver needle acupuncture and MTrP intervention significantly relieved CPP-associated pain and substantially improved patients' physical and mental health. Notably, compared with healthy controls, increased neutrophil autophagy and elevated plasma inflammatory factor levels were observed in CPP patients. These changes were inhibited by both single and combined treatment modalities. The combined treatment exhibited particularly remarkable efficacy, conferring additional benefits in pain relief and overall well-being improvement for women with CPP. The levels of all inflammatory factors (IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and MCP-1) in the combined intervention group were significantly lower than those in the single intervention groups (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Warm silver needle acupuncture and MTrP intervention effectively alleviate CPP by modulating neutrophil autophagy and inflammatory factors, and their combination yields enhanced therapeutic benefits for women with CPP.