International Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Open Access

Firas Mourad

Publications

• Review Article
  Peripheral and Spinal Mechanisms of Pain and Dry Needling Mediated Analgesia: A Clinical Resource Guide for Health Care Professionals
  Author(s): Raymond Butts, James Dunning, Thomas Perreault, Firas Mourad and Matthew GrubbRaymond Butts, James Dunning, Thomas Perreault, Firas Mourad and Matthew Grubb
  
  There are a number of biochemical, biomechanical, endocrinological and neurovascular mechanisms underpinning the anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of dry needling (DN). While myofascial trigger points likely play a role in peripheral pain, a diagnostic tool for localizing them has not been validated, and DN studies that have targeted trigger points to elicit localized twitch responses have reported mixed results. Therefore, the mechanism responsible for DN-mediated analgesia may be more complicated. DN activates opioid-based pain reduction, mediated by endogenous cannabinoids and the sympathetic nervous system, and non- opioid pain relief via serotonin and norepinephrine from the brain stem. DN also triggers the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis centrally and the corticotropin releasing hormone-proopiomelanocortin-corticosteroid axis locally to inhibit cox-2, reducing i.. View More»
  DOI: 10.4172/2329-9096.1000327

  Abstract PDF

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