Gattie et al. 2017, Trigger-point dry needling for musculoskeletal conditions (systematic review)

Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy systematic review and meta-analysis of 13 trials of trigger-point dry needling delivered by physiotherapists for musculoskeletal pain. Very-low-to-moderate-quality evidence found dry needling more effective than no treatment, sham needling and other treatments for reducing pain and improving the pressure-pain threshold over the immediate-to-12-week window, but the advantage did not hold in the long term and the evidence quality was low. The most cited meta-analysis supporting dry needling: a short-term effect on weak evidence, with no durable benefit.