Another Study Weighs In On Acupuncture For Pain Relief

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Another Study Weighs In On Acupuncture For Pain Relief
Usichenko TI, Kuchling S, Witstruck T, et al.
CMAJ. 2007;176:179-183.

Does acupuncture reduce postoperative pain? Can it substitute for or reduce the need for analgesic drugs in the postoperative period? The authors compared the need for postoperative pain medication in 120 patients undergoing knee surgery in an ambulatory setting. Patients were randomized into 2 groups: 1 using auricular acupuncture and the other a control invasive needle procedure. Although intensity of pain as measured by the patient on an analogue scale was similar in the 2 groups, ibuprofen use was significantly reduced in the acupuncture group (P = .012).

This study followed recommended guidelines for randomized trials, and the 2 groups would have been expected to have similar postoperative pain levels. It is possible that the control group experienced some partial analgesic effect. If so, the true benefit of acupuncture might be even greater than that observed in this study. Acupuncture is a popular form of complementary medicine; this study provides some evidence for its potential utility in ambulatory surgical patients.

Abstract

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