ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The clinical long-term effectiveness of real and sham acupuncture treatment on differentiated pain measurement was evaluated in chronic lateral epicondylitis, an example of a tendomyotic disorder. METHODS: Randomised, examiner- and patient-blinded controlled clinical study. OUTCOME MEASUREMENT: pain at rest, pain on movement, pain on exertion, frequency and duration of pain. Real acupuncture (n = 23) was tested versus invasive sham acupuncture (n = 22). Ten treatments were given (2 treatments/week). Patients were examined at baseline (E1) as well as 2 weeks (E2), 2 months (E3) and 1 year (E4) after the end of treatment. In the treatment with real acupuncture, acupuncture points were selected and mechanically stimulated while in the sham group non-acupuncture points were selected. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the groups at baseline for any outcome parameter. Two weeks, 2 months and 1 year after the end of treatment there were significant reductions in all pain variables compared to baseline. At the first follow-up, significant group differences were registered for pain on motion and pain on exertion in favour to the real acupuncture group. These differences in pain intensity between the groups were no longer significant at the 2 months and 12 months follow-ups. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that, in the treatment of chronic epicondylitis, the selection of so-called real acupuncture points gives better results than invasive sham acupuncture at early follow-up. This additional effect can be interpreted as a specific effect of real acupuncture.
Subject(s)
Acupuncture Therapy , Pain Measurement , Tennis Elbow/therapy , Chronic Disease , Double-Blind Method , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Time Factors , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of acupuncture in the treatment of chronic lateral epicondylitis. METHODS: In a randomized, investigator- and patient-blinded, controlled clinical study, 23 patients were treated with real acupuncture and 22 patients received sham acupuncture. Patients each received 10 treatments, with two treatments per week. The primary outcome variables were maximal strength, pain intensity (verbal rating scale) and disability scale (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire). Patients were examined at baseline (1 week before the start of treatment) and at follow-up 2 weeks and 2 months after the end of treatment. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the groups at baseline for any outcome parameter. Two weeks and 2 months after the end of treatment, there were significant reductions in pain intensity and improvements in the function of the arm and in maximal strength in both treatment groups. At the 2-week follow-up these differences were significantly greater for all outcome parameters in the group treated with real acupuncture. At 2 months the function of the arm was still better in this group than in the sham acupuncture group; however, the differences in pain intensity and maximal strength between the groups were no longer significant. CONCLUSION: In the treatment of chronic epicondylopathia lateralis humeri, acupuncture in which real acupuncture points were selected and stimulated was superior to non-specific acupuncture with respect to reduction in pain and improvement in the functioning of the arm. These changes are particularly marked at early follow-up.
Subject(s)
Acupuncture , Tennis Elbow/therapy , Adult , Chronic Disease , Double-Blind Method , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Placebos , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
A study of the protective effect of an acupuncture therapy against a nasal allergen-provoked rhinitis was undertaken on patients suffering from seasonal allergic rhinitis. The effects of a specific acupuncture therapy ("verum") were compared with those of a non-specific acupuncture therapy ("placebo"). The allergen-provocation was carried out in the "Vienna Provocation Chamber" (VCC) (Horak, 1987). 24 patients suffering from seasonal allergic rhinitis were allocated at random either to Group B and given a specific ("verum") acupuncture therapy or to Group A and given a non-specific ("placebo") acupuncture therapy. A nasal allergen-provocation was carried out before onset and after completion of 9 treatments. The objective and subjective results of the allergen-provocation in the VCC were not able to verify a protective effect of the acupuncture therapy. The "Diary of Complaints (Symptoms)" which the participants had to keep over the 2 months following the treatment showed a definite reduction of the subjective complaints in the verum group during the second month. The range of scatter was too great for a statistically significant result.
