Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies
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Focus Alternat Complement Ther©2005 Pharmaceutical Press
Focus Altern Complement Ther 2003; 8: 503
To examine whether proper acupuncture treatment can reduce headaches and chronic pains in the neck and shoulder, and headaches, and to see whether possible effects are long-lasting.
Twenty-four female office workers were examined. Their perceived pain affected their activities at work and at home, but none of the subjects were on sick leave. The subjects were randomly assigned to a test group (TG) or a control group (CG), and acupuncture was applied either at presumed anti-pain points (TG) or at placebo points (CG). Each subject received 10 treatments over a period of 3 weeks. Before the first treatment, just after and 6 months after the last one the subjects were examined by a medical expert for the function of the neck and shoulders. The pain threshold was measured at 28 different trigger points, and the subjects answered questionnaires about their perceived pain, headache, and state. The questionnaire was answered again 3 years after the treatments.
The intensity of pain fell more for TG than for CG (P < 0.02) during the treatment period. Six months after the treatments there was no difference between the two groups, but 3 years after the treatments, TG reported less pain than CG did (P < 0.04). The degree of headache reduced during the treatment period for both groups, but more so for TG than for CG (P = 0.02). Three years after the treatments the effect still persisted for the TG while the degree of headache for CG returned to the pretreatment level (P < 0.001).
Proper acupuncture treatment can reduce chronic pain in the neck and shoulder region as well as reduce the extent of headache. The effect seems long-lasting.
