A Potential Objective Sign of Central Sensitization: Referred Pain Elicited by Manual Gluteus Minimus Muscle Exploration is Coincident with Pathological Autonomic Response Provoked by Noxious Stimulation

Referred pain/sensation provoked by trigger points suits the nociplastic pain criteria. There is a debate over whether trigger points are related to a peripheral phenomenon or central sensitization (CS) processes. Referred pain is considered a possible sign of CS, which occurs probably mainly due to...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Elzbieta Skorupska, Tomasz Dybek, Michał Rychlik, Marta Jokiel, Paweł Dobrakowski, Anna Szczerba, Daria Wotzka, Anna Jankowska
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2023-01-01
Series:Pain Research and Management
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2023/4030622
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850178017364541440
author Elzbieta Skorupska
Tomasz Dybek
Michał Rychlik
Marta Jokiel
Paweł Dobrakowski
Anna Szczerba
Daria Wotzka
Anna Jankowska
author_facet Elzbieta Skorupska
Tomasz Dybek
Michał Rychlik
Marta Jokiel
Paweł Dobrakowski
Anna Szczerba
Daria Wotzka
Anna Jankowska
author_sort Elzbieta Skorupska
collection DOAJ
description Referred pain/sensation provoked by trigger points suits the nociplastic pain criteria. There is a debate over whether trigger points are related to a peripheral phenomenon or central sensitization (CS) processes. Referred pain is considered a possible sign of CS, which occurs probably mainly due to the abnormal activity of the immune and autonomic nervous systems. To confirm abnormal autonomic reactivity within the referred pain zone of active trigger points, a new diagnostic tool, the Skorupska Protocol® (the SP test®), was applied. The test uses noxious stimulation (10 minutes of dry needling under infrared camera control) as a diagnostic tool to confirm abnormal autonomic nervous system activity. A response to the SP test® of healthy subjects with referred pain sensations provoked by latent trigger points (LTrPs) stimulation was not explored before. The study aims at examining if LTrPs can develop an autonomic response. Methods. Two groups of healthy subjects, (i) gluteus minimus LTrPs with referred pain (n = 20) and (ii) control (n = 27), were examined using the SP test®. Results. Abnormal autonomic activity within the referred pain zone was confirmed for all analyzed LTrPs subjects. 70% of control subjects had no feature of vasodilatation and others presented minor vasomotor fluctuations. The size of vasomotor reactivity within the referred pain zone was LTrPs 11.1 + 10.96% vs. control 0.8 + 0.6% p<0.05. Conclusions. Noxious stimulation of latent TrPs induces abnormal autonomic nervous system activity within the referred pain zone. The observed phenomenon supports the concept of central nervous system involvement in the referred pain patomechanizm.
format Article
id doaj-art-bcf298d6f0fb4fca81f3f5ba0bb378b3
institution OA Journals
issn 1918-1523
language English
publishDate 2023-01-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Pain Research and Management
spelling doaj-art-bcf298d6f0fb4fca81f3f5ba0bb378b32025-08-20T02:18:50ZengWileyPain Research and Management1918-15232023-01-01202310.1155/2023/4030622A Potential Objective Sign of Central Sensitization: Referred Pain Elicited by Manual Gluteus Minimus Muscle Exploration is Coincident with Pathological Autonomic Response Provoked by Noxious StimulationElzbieta Skorupska0Tomasz Dybek1Michał Rychlik2Marta Jokiel3Paweł Dobrakowski4Anna Szczerba5Daria Wotzka6Anna Jankowska7Department of PhysiotherapyFaculty of Physical Education and PhysiotherapyDepartment of Virtual EngineeringDepartment of PhysiotherapyPsychology InstituteChair and Department of Cell BiologyFaculty of Electrical EngineeringChair and Department of Cell BiologyReferred pain/sensation provoked by trigger points suits the nociplastic pain criteria. There is a debate over whether trigger points are related to a peripheral phenomenon or central sensitization (CS) processes. Referred pain is considered a possible sign of CS, which occurs probably mainly due to the abnormal activity of the immune and autonomic nervous systems. To confirm abnormal autonomic reactivity within the referred pain zone of active trigger points, a new diagnostic tool, the Skorupska Protocol® (the SP test®), was applied. The test uses noxious stimulation (10 minutes of dry needling under infrared camera control) as a diagnostic tool to confirm abnormal autonomic nervous system activity. A response to the SP test® of healthy subjects with referred pain sensations provoked by latent trigger points (LTrPs) stimulation was not explored before. The study aims at examining if LTrPs can develop an autonomic response. Methods. Two groups of healthy subjects, (i) gluteus minimus LTrPs with referred pain (n = 20) and (ii) control (n = 27), were examined using the SP test®. Results. Abnormal autonomic activity within the referred pain zone was confirmed for all analyzed LTrPs subjects. 70% of control subjects had no feature of vasodilatation and others presented minor vasomotor fluctuations. The size of vasomotor reactivity within the referred pain zone was LTrPs 11.1 + 10.96% vs. control 0.8 + 0.6% p<0.05. Conclusions. Noxious stimulation of latent TrPs induces abnormal autonomic nervous system activity within the referred pain zone. The observed phenomenon supports the concept of central nervous system involvement in the referred pain patomechanizm.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2023/4030622
spellingShingle Elzbieta Skorupska
Tomasz Dybek
Michał Rychlik
Marta Jokiel
Paweł Dobrakowski
Anna Szczerba
Daria Wotzka
Anna Jankowska
A Potential Objective Sign of Central Sensitization: Referred Pain Elicited by Manual Gluteus Minimus Muscle Exploration is Coincident with Pathological Autonomic Response Provoked by Noxious Stimulation
Pain Research and Management
title A Potential Objective Sign of Central Sensitization: Referred Pain Elicited by Manual Gluteus Minimus Muscle Exploration is Coincident with Pathological Autonomic Response Provoked by Noxious Stimulation
title_full A Potential Objective Sign of Central Sensitization: Referred Pain Elicited by Manual Gluteus Minimus Muscle Exploration is Coincident with Pathological Autonomic Response Provoked by Noxious Stimulation
title_fullStr A Potential Objective Sign of Central Sensitization: Referred Pain Elicited by Manual Gluteus Minimus Muscle Exploration is Coincident with Pathological Autonomic Response Provoked by Noxious Stimulation
title_full_unstemmed A Potential Objective Sign of Central Sensitization: Referred Pain Elicited by Manual Gluteus Minimus Muscle Exploration is Coincident with Pathological Autonomic Response Provoked by Noxious Stimulation
title_short A Potential Objective Sign of Central Sensitization: Referred Pain Elicited by Manual Gluteus Minimus Muscle Exploration is Coincident with Pathological Autonomic Response Provoked by Noxious Stimulation
title_sort potential objective sign of central sensitization referred pain elicited by manual gluteus minimus muscle exploration is coincident with pathological autonomic response provoked by noxious stimulation
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2023/4030622
work_keys_str_mv AT elzbietaskorupska apotentialobjectivesignofcentralsensitizationreferredpainelicitedbymanualgluteusminimusmuscleexplorationiscoincidentwithpathologicalautonomicresponseprovokedbynoxiousstimulation
AT tomaszdybek apotentialobjectivesignofcentralsensitizationreferredpainelicitedbymanualgluteusminimusmuscleexplorationiscoincidentwithpathologicalautonomicresponseprovokedbynoxiousstimulation
AT michałrychlik apotentialobjectivesignofcentralsensitizationreferredpainelicitedbymanualgluteusminimusmuscleexplorationiscoincidentwithpathologicalautonomicresponseprovokedbynoxiousstimulation
AT martajokiel apotentialobjectivesignofcentralsensitizationreferredpainelicitedbymanualgluteusminimusmuscleexplorationiscoincidentwithpathologicalautonomicresponseprovokedbynoxiousstimulation
AT pawełdobrakowski apotentialobjectivesignofcentralsensitizationreferredpainelicitedbymanualgluteusminimusmuscleexplorationiscoincidentwithpathologicalautonomicresponseprovokedbynoxiousstimulation
AT annaszczerba apotentialobjectivesignofcentralsensitizationreferredpainelicitedbymanualgluteusminimusmuscleexplorationiscoincidentwithpathologicalautonomicresponseprovokedbynoxiousstimulation
AT dariawotzka apotentialobjectivesignofcentralsensitizationreferredpainelicitedbymanualgluteusminimusmuscleexplorationiscoincidentwithpathologicalautonomicresponseprovokedbynoxiousstimulation
AT annajankowska apotentialobjectivesignofcentralsensitizationreferredpainelicitedbymanualgluteusminimusmuscleexplorationiscoincidentwithpathologicalautonomicresponseprovokedbynoxiousstimulation
AT elzbietaskorupska potentialobjectivesignofcentralsensitizationreferredpainelicitedbymanualgluteusminimusmuscleexplorationiscoincidentwithpathologicalautonomicresponseprovokedbynoxiousstimulation
AT tomaszdybek potentialobjectivesignofcentralsensitizationreferredpainelicitedbymanualgluteusminimusmuscleexplorationiscoincidentwithpathologicalautonomicresponseprovokedbynoxiousstimulation
AT michałrychlik potentialobjectivesignofcentralsensitizationreferredpainelicitedbymanualgluteusminimusmuscleexplorationiscoincidentwithpathologicalautonomicresponseprovokedbynoxiousstimulation
AT martajokiel potentialobjectivesignofcentralsensitizationreferredpainelicitedbymanualgluteusminimusmuscleexplorationiscoincidentwithpathologicalautonomicresponseprovokedbynoxiousstimulation
AT pawełdobrakowski potentialobjectivesignofcentralsensitizationreferredpainelicitedbymanualgluteusminimusmuscleexplorationiscoincidentwithpathologicalautonomicresponseprovokedbynoxiousstimulation
AT annaszczerba potentialobjectivesignofcentralsensitizationreferredpainelicitedbymanualgluteusminimusmuscleexplorationiscoincidentwithpathologicalautonomicresponseprovokedbynoxiousstimulation
AT dariawotzka potentialobjectivesignofcentralsensitizationreferredpainelicitedbymanualgluteusminimusmuscleexplorationiscoincidentwithpathologicalautonomicresponseprovokedbynoxiousstimulation
AT annajankowska potentialobjectivesignofcentralsensitizationreferredpainelicitedbymanualgluteusminimusmuscleexplorationiscoincidentwithpathologicalautonomicresponseprovokedbynoxiousstimulation