Plasma B-Endorphin Levels in patient with chronic low back pain treated with needle acupuncture

ABSTRACT

This study is carried out to evaluate the therapeutic role of needle acupuncture in chronic low back pain and to find out its effect on plasma B-endorphin. Thirty patients with chronic low back pain with and without sciatica and ten apparently healthy subjects were included. Patients were divided into two groups. In the first group [20] patients were treated with needle acupuncture for one month, while patients in the second group [10] were treated by placebo. Clinical evaluation was carried out before and after treatment. Plasma B-endorphin immunoreactivity level was determined by radioimmunoassay. The plasma B-endorphin level was significantly [P<0.001] higher in normal subject than in the chronic low back pain patients. However, there was a significant [P<0.001] increase in plasma B-endorphin in chronic low back pain patients after one month treatment with needle acupuncture. There was a statistically significant reduction [P<0.001] of low back pain after one month of acupuncture treatment. There was a significant increase [P<0.001] in the range of movement of the lumbar spine. Also there was a significant improvement in straight leg raising [SLR] [P<0.001].From these results we could conclude that needle acupuncture is effective in management of patients with chronic low back pain and this therapeutic effect is accompanied by a significant increase in plasma -endorphin level