Journal of acupuncture and meridian studies
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J Acupunct Meridian Stud · Oct 2015
Randomized Controlled TrialEfficacies of Acupuncture and Anti-inflammatory Treatment for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
This study compared the efficacies of acupuncture and anti-inflammatory treatment in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Fifty patients with mild to moderate CTS were randomly divided into two groups. Both groups received night wrist splints as the standard conservative treatment for 1 month. ⋯ At the final follow up, significant improvements were found in both groups (p < 0.05). Statistically significant improvements were observed in the VAS score, the score on the global BCTQ FUNCT and SYMPT, and the electrodiagnostic findings, but not in the distal motor latency (DML), in the acupuncture group (p < 0.05). Our findings indicate that acupuncture affected the score on the global BCTQ FUNCT and SYMPT, the VAS score, and the electrodiagnostic findings, except the DML, more than ibuprofen did and that acupuncture might be an effective treatment for CTS.
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J Acupunct Meridian Stud · Jun 2015
Methods to Standardize a Multicenter Acupuncture Trial Protocol to Reduce Aromatase Inhibitor-related Joint Symptoms in Breast Cancer Patients.
Robust methods are needed to efficiently conduct large, multisite, randomized, controlled clinical trials of acupuncture protocols. The Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG) S1200 trial is a randomized, controlled (i.e., sham-controlled and waitlist-controlled) trial of a standardized acupuncture protocol for treating aromatase inhibitor (AI)-associated arthralgias in early-stage breast cancer patients (n = 228). The primary objective of this study was to determine whether true acupuncture administered twice weekly for 6 weeks, as compared to sham acupuncture or a waitlist control, reduced AI-associated joint pain at 6 weeks as assessed by patient reports. ⋯ The similarly standardized sham acupuncture protocol utilized superficial needling of nonacupoints. Standardized methods were developed to train and monitor acupuncturists and included online and in-person training, study manuals, monthly phone calls, and remote quality assurance monitoring throughout the study period. The research staff similarly received online and in-person training and monthly phone calls.
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J Acupunct Meridian Stud · Jun 2015
Patient-reported Outcomes of Acupuncture for Symptom Control in Cancer.
Acupuncture is increasingly offered as a treatment option for managing cancer-related symptoms. In addition to randomized controlled trials, patient-reported outcomes may be needed to establish treatment effectiveness. This study retrospectively examined the symptoms and the satisfaction ratings of 90 patients receiving acupuncture at an integrative oncology clinic. ⋯ The majority were satisfied with the service. The results of this study suggest that acupuncture may be useful as an adjunct treatment for cancer symptom management. While high-quality trials are still needed to establish the treatment's efficacy, patients may benefit from these primarily safe, low-cost services.
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J Acupunct Meridian Stud · Feb 2015
Review Meta AnalysisLaser acupuncture for treating musculoskeletal pain: a systematic review with meta-analysis.
Laser acupuncture has been studied extensively over several decades to establish evidence-based clinical practice. This systematic review aims to evaluate the effects of laser acupuncture on pain and functional outcomes when it is used to treat musculoskeletal disorders and to update existing evidence with data from recent randomized controlled trials (RCTs). A computer-based literature search of the databases MEDLINE, AMED, EMBASE, CINAHL, SPORTSDiscus, Cochrane Library, PubMed, Current Contents Connect, Web of Science, and SCOPUS was used to identify RCTs comparing between laser acupuncture and control interventions. ⋯ Negative or inconclusive studies commonly failed to demonstrate these features. For all diagnostic subgroups, positive effects for both pain and functional outcomes were more consistently seen at long-term follow-up rather than immediately after treatment. Moderate-quality evidence supports the effectiveness of laser acupuncture in managing musculoskeletal pain when applied in an appropriate treatment dosage; however, the positive effects are seen only at long-term follow-up and not immediately after the cessation of treatment.
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J Acupunct Meridian Stud · Feb 2015
Case ReportsEffects of acupuncture, core-stability exercises, and treadmill walking exercises in treating a patient with postsurgical lumbar disc herniation: a clinical case report.
The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of acupuncture, core-stability exercises, and treadmill 12-minute walking exercises in treating patients with postsurgical lumbar disc herniation. A 34-year-old woman with a history lumbar disc prolapse who had undergone lumbar disc surgery on two different occasions was treated using acupuncture, core-stability exercises, and treadmill walking exercises three times per week for 12 weeks. The outcome measures used in this study were pain intensity, spinal range of movement, and general health. ⋯ In a similar vein, the patient's general health showed improvement of >100% after 12 weeks of treatment. Pre-treatment scores of spinal flexion and left-side flexion, which measured 20 cm and 12 cm, respectively, increased to 25 cm and 16 cm after 12 weeks of treatment. This study showed that acupuncture, core-stability exercises, and treadmill walking exercises were useful in relieving pain, increasing spinal range of movement, and improving the health of a patient with postsurgical lumbar disc herniation.