Can Classical Acupuncture Points and Trigger Points Be Compared in the Treatment of Pain Disorders? Birch’s Analysis Revisited

Dorsher, PT
Background: A 1977 study by Melzack et al. reported 100% anatomic and 71% clinical pain correspondences of myofascial trigger points and classical acupuncture points in the treatment of pain disorders. A reanalysis of this study’s data using different acupuncture resources by Birch a quarter century later concluded that correlating trigger points to classical acupuncture [...]