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The subjects received the treatment twice a week for 4\u2009weeks. PPT, Arabic neck disability index (ANDI), pain intensity visual analogue scale (VAS) and cervical muscle amplitude (assessed by electromyography and expressed as a normalized root mean square (RMS)) were measured before and after completion of the treatment.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results:<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>In the within-group analysis, there were statistically significant differences pre- versus post-treatment in all variables in both experimental groups (p\u2009&lt;\u20090.05) but no significant differences in the control group with the single exception of pain intensity. In the between-group analysis post-treatment, there were statistically significant differences between all three groups. Compared with the iontophoresis group, the DN group showed significant improvements in VAS (mean difference (MD) \u22122.0, 95% confidence interval (CI) \u22122.84 to \u22121.36; p\u2009&lt;\u20090.01), RMS (MD \u22121.32, 95% CI \u22121.79 to \u22120.85; p\u2009&lt;\u20090.001), ANDI (MD \u22122.60, 95% CI \u22124.50 to \u22120.70; p\u2009=\u20090.004) and PPT (MD 1.48, 95% CI 1.01\u20131.95; p\u2009&lt;\u20090.001).<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion:<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>DN and MgSO4 iontophoresis both had positive effects on PPT, ANDI, VAS and muscle amplitude in the treatment of neck pain subjects with upper-trapezius MTrPs. DN had a superior effect than MgSO4 iontophoresis for all outcomes studied.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1177\/09645284251410579","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,19]],"date-time":"2026-01-19T02:46:42Z","timestamp":1768790802000},"page":"3-13","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Dry needling versus magnesium sulfate iontophoresis of active trigger points of the axioscapular muscle in neck pain: a single blind randomized controlled trial"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"44","author":[{"given":"Shimaa T","family":"Abu El Kasem","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Basic Science, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt"},{"name":"Department of Basic Science, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Galala University, Suez, Egypt"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Engy B","family":"Moustafa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neuromuscular Disorders and its Surgery, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3714-8776","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alshaymaa S","family":"Abd El-Azeim","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Basic Science, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,18]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_3_2_2_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00586-004-0864-4"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_3_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.berh.2011.01.019"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_4_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s40557-014-0021-4"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_5_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s11916-999-0040-y"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_6_2","unstructured":"Donnelly JM Fernandez de las Penas C Finnegan M et al. 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