Comparing the effects of transcutaneous radiofrequency (RF) and wet needle treatment methods applied to tender points in patients with fibromyalgia

Introduction & Objectives: Fibromyalgia is a chronic disease characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, sleep disturbance, and feelings of extreme fatigue. Although many pharmacological or non-pharmacological treatment modalities are used in the treatment of the disease, the recurrence of symptoms is quite common and affects the quality of life significantly. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of transcutaneous radiofrequency (TCRF) and wet needle treatments in patients with fibromyalgia. Material & Methods: A total of 100 adult patients diagnosed with Fibromyalgia in our center between January 2016 and September 2021 were included in the study. The patients were divided into two groups as those treated with TCRF and wet needle treatment. In order to evaluate the response, VAS (Visual Analogue Scale) pain scores were analyzed before and after the treatment at the 2nd and 6th months. The effect of treatment modality on VAS score change over time was revealed by repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: 76% of the patients included in the study were female and 24% were male, and the median age of the patients was 52 (22-60). There was no statistically significant difference between the treatment arms according to gender and age distribution (p=0.349 and 0.745, respectively). The mean pre-treatment (admission) VAS score was significantly higher in men than in women (8.25 vs. 7.78, p=0.037) The mean admission VAS score of the patients was 7.89±0.97, while the mean of the 2nd month VAS score was 5.5±1.7, the 6th month VAS score the mean was 6.12±1.4 (p<0.001). In the analysis of variance of the VAS change according to the treatment groups, the VAS score was found to be significantly lower in repeated measurements in the TCRF group compared to the wet needle treatment group (p<0.001). 7 Conclusion: In our study, the prevalence of fibromyalgia was found to be higher in women than in men. On the other hand, it was revealed that the pre-treatment VAS score was higher in men than in women. Although there was a significant decrease in the VAS score with both treatment modalities, it was shown that the VAS response was significantly higher in the TCRF group than in the wet needle treatment group.