ABSTRACT
[Aim] We compared the effects of acupuncture and press tuck needle (PTN) acupuncture in office workers with physical and psychological fatigue.[Design] A randomized, open-label, parallel-group, comparison study.[Setting] An acupuncture room in the A Clinic within the Kanto Metropolitan Area.[Patients] Clinic workers. The inclusion criteria were 20-45 years of age and awareness of physical and psychological fatigue. The exclusion criteria were fatigue-related diseases and symptoms, medical abnormalities, and history.[Intervention] The subjects were randomly allocated to either the acupuncture treatment group (ACP group) or PTN acupuncture treatment group (PTN group). The interventions were based on acupoints for fatigue symptoms as per previous reports and individualized treatment for physical symptoms, including neck and lower back pain, among others, and were performed twice a week for one month.[Evaluation methods] The visual analog scale (VAS) scores were the primary method for evaluating for physical and psychological fatigue at four weeks post-treatment. Other forms of measurement used were the VAS scores within groups immediately after treatment and to evaluate physical health, the Health Perceptions Questionnaire, General Health Questionnaire-12, and Short Form-36 responses; and salivary amylase levels were used.[Results] Thirteen of 14 subjects in the ACP group and 13 of 15 in the PTN group were included in the analysis. There was no significant difference between the groups for VAS scores. Evaluation, immediately before and after the intervention showed a significant decrease in VAS scores for physical fatigue in both groups. The ACP group showed a greater immediate change than the PTN group. In a comparison within each group, the VAS of psychological fatigue in the PTN group showed significant decrease after the eighth treatment.[Conclusions] Acupuncture may immediately improve physical fatigue in office workers. Moreover, the frequency of using PTN acupuncture may eventually decrease physical fatigue. Therefore, acupuncture and PTN acupuncture can help office workers' health.