About this trial
Chronic thoracic (mid-back) pain can be difficult to treat, and there is limited evidence to guide the use of injection therapies for pain arising from muscles and surrounding soft tissues. Two commonly used treatments are trigger point injections (TPI) and erector spinae plane (ESP) blocks, but no studies have directly compared their effectiveness for chronic thoracic myofascial pain. The purpose of this study is to compare pain relief, physical function, emotional well-being, patient satisfaction, and safety following treatment with either an ESP block or TPI. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive one of the two treatments. Researchers will follow participants for up to 12 weeks after the procedure and collect information through questionnaires and pain assessments.
Eligibility criteria
Qualifiers
Adults aged 18-80 years
Chronic thoracic myofascial pain lasting at least three months
Pain intensity of ≥4 on 11-point NRS
At least two of three following conditions: Focal thoracic paraspinal pain, palpable taut band, referred pain pattern with palpation
Disqualifiers
Thoracic radiculopathy
Cervical myelopathy with neurological deficit
Prior cervicothoracic spine surgery
Pregnancy or lactation
Trial design
Treatments tested in this trial
- Erector Spinae Plane (ESP) Block with 0.5% Plain Bupivacaine
- Trigger Point Injection (TPI) with 0.5% Plain Bupivacaine
Treatment groups
Sponsors and collaborators
Mayo Clinic
Lead sponsor
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Collaborator
Ohio State University
Collaborator
University of Maryland, Baltimore
Collaborator