Acupuncture in medicine : journal of the British Medical Acupuncture Society
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Acupuncture for low back pain in pregnancy--a prospective, quasi-randomised, controlled study.
This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of acupuncture in low back and pelvic pain during pregnancy under real life conditions, as compared with patients undergoing conventional treatment alone. A total of 61 conventionally treated pregnant women were allocated randomly into two groups to be treated or not by acupuncture. Twenty-seven patients formed the study group and 34 the control group. ⋯ The capacity to perform general activities, to work and to walk was improved significantly more in the study group than in the control group (P < 0.05). The use of paracetamol was lower in the acupuncture group (P < 0.01). These results indicate that acupuncture seems to alleviate low back and pelvic pain during pregnancy, as well as to increase the capacity for some physical activities and to diminish the need for drugs, which is a great advantage during this period.
-
Three case histories are presented in which amputees with acute or chronic phantom limb pain and phantom limb sensation were treated with Western medical acupuncture, needling the asymptomatic intact limb. Two out of the three cases reported complete relief of their phantom limb pain and phantom limb sensation. Acupuncture was successful in treating phantom phenomena in two of these cases, but a larger cohort study would be needed to provide more evidence for the success rate of this treatment technique for this indication.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
The effect of acupuncture on the symptoms of knee osteoarthritis--an open randomised controlled study.
Using an open randomised controlled study, we examined the effectiveness of manual and electroacupuncture on symptom relief for patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. ⋯ We conclude that manual and electroacupuncture causes a significant improvement in the symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee, either on its own or as an adjunct therapy, with no loss of benefit after one month.
-
In 1997, the first Pain Management Unit, which was set up as part of primary health care within the Andalusian Public Health System, offered acupuncture among other therapies. This observational study was conducted in preparation for a randomised controlled trial. ⋯ The degree of pain relief experienced by patients from acupuncture justifies a more rigorous study.