Dry Needling Related Short-Term Vasodilation in Chronic Sciatica under Infrared Thermovision

Figure 3

Changes of Δ isothermal-area percentage for high range temperatures using IRT procedure. In the group, short-term vasodilation of the thigh and calf is related to TrPs codiagnosis. The reaction is characteristic of the thigh in all cases and for some subjects also of the calf. The reaction for the foot was similar for both TrPs-positive and non-TrPs subjects. Among non-TrPs subjects, a small insignificant increase/decrease of isothermal-areas was observed. Differences of HT% isothermal-area depending on IRT procedure phases were as follows. TrPs-positive subjects: (a) thigh phase II 26.27%; phase III 30.29%; (b) calf phase II 11.56%; phase III 7.91%; (c) foot phase II −0.77%; phase III −0.32%. TrPs-negative subjects: (a) thigh phase II 3.30%; phase III 4.08%; (b) calf phase II −1.13%; phase III −2.73%; (c) foot phase II 0.68%; phase III 0.37%.