• Almir Vieira Dibai Filho, OliveiraAlessandra Kelly deAKhttp://orcid.org/0000-0001-5760-0566Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, Department of Health Sciences, Postgraduate Program in Rehabilitation and Functional Performance - Ribeirão Preto (SP), Brazil., Matheus Pereira Oliveira, Débora Bevilaqua-Grossi, and GuirroRinaldo Roberto de JesusRRJhttp://orcid.org/0000-0001-7491-3388Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, Department of Health Sciences, Postgraduate Program in Rehabilitation and Functional Performance - Ribeirão Preto (SP), Brazil.U.
• Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Postgraduate Program in Physical Education - São Luís (MA), Brazil.
• Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992). 2021 Dec 1; 67 (12): 1798-1803.

ObjectiveThe objective of the study was to correlate the thermal pain threshold (heat and cold) on myofascial trigger points with measurements of pain and skin temperature in patients with chronic neck pain.MethodsThis is a cross-sectional study. We included participants of both genders, aged between 18-45 years, with chronic neck pain (>90 days), and with active bilateral myofascial trigger point centrally located in the upper trapezius muscle. Neck Disability Index, Numerical Rating Scale, Pain-Related Catastrophizing Thoughts Scale, algometry, infrared thermography, and quantitative sensory testing were used for the evaluation.ResultsA significant, weak, and negative association was observed between pain intensity and heat pain threshold on the myofascial trigger point to the right (rho -0.381, p=0.022) and to the left (rho -0.334, p=0.049), and a significant, weak, and positive association was observed between pain intensity and cold pain threshold on the myofascial trigger point to the right (rho 0.471, p=0.004) and to the left (rho 0.339, p=0.043).ConclusionThermal pain threshold (heat and cold) on myofascial trigger points is associated with pain intensity in individuals with chronic neck pain.

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