Efficacy of mesotherapy in patients with acute and subacute neck pain: A randomized controlled trial

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of mesotherapy in patients with acute or subacute neck pain compared to oral medications with the same active ingredients. Patients and methods: In this randomized, single-blind study, 44 patients with acute to subacute neck pain (6 males, 38 females; mean age: 46.8±11.1 years; range, 23 to 65 years) were included between October 30, 2023, and June 30, 2024. These patients were randomly assigned to two groups. The first group received two sessions of mesotherapy solution, administered at seven‑day intervals. The second group received oral meloxicam 15 mg once daily and thiocolchicoside 8 mg twice daily for seven days. Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Neck Disability Index (NDI), and cervical range of motion were evaluated before treatment and on the seventh and 14th days. Results: There was no significant difference in demographic data, initial VAS scores, range of motion, and NDI scores between the two groups (p>0.05). Significant improvements in the VAS (p<0.001 and p<0.03, respectively) and NDI scores (p<0.001 and p=0.016, respectively) were observed within both groups. However, there was no significant difference between the groups (p>0.05). No significant difference was found within or between the groups in range of motion (p>0.05). In the first group, VAS scores significantly improved 30 mins after both sessions (p=0.009 and p=0.038, respectively). Conclusion: We found mesotherapy to be as effective as oral combination therapy. Mesotherapy can be preferred as it allows the use of low-dose medication to relieve acute and subacute neck pain.