Large body of research on acupuncture
With acupuncture just starting to make inroads in managed care, it’s important to know that there are literally dozens of published scientific studies demonstrating its effectiveness.If your health care provider is considering an acupuncture benefit, or if your employees are simply looking for information about acupuncture, we hope the following selected list of studies and summaries will provide you with valuable information:
• Fox EJ, Mlezack R. Transcutaneous electrical stimulation and acupuncture: comparison treatment for low-back pain. Pain 1976; 2:141-148. This study shows acupuncture provided pain relief in 75% of patients (mean duration 40 hours) and 66% of TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) patients (23 hours).
• Christiansen BV, Iuhl IU, Bulow HH, et al. Acupuncture treatment of severe knee osteoarthrosis. A long-term study. Acta Anaesthesiol Scand 1992; 36:519-525. Use of delayed treatment control group to test acupuncture for knee pain. Seven patients responded so well that previously recommended surgical operations (at a cost of $9,000 each) were put off.
• Seppo YT, Junnila MD. Acupuncture superior to piroxicam in the treatment of osteoarthrosis. American Journal of Acupuncture 1982; 10:341-346. Acupuncture was not only more effective than standard drug treatment (61% vs. 32%) in reducing "large joint" pain, but it also was free of the side effects associated with the drug treatment group, which had side effects in 19% of patients.
• Johansson A, Wagersten C, Haraldson T.
Acupuncture in treatment of facial muscular pain. Acta Odontol Scand 1991; 49:153-158. Acupuncture was as effective as the standard treatment (occlusal splint) in treating facial pain or headache of muscular origin.
• Brattberg G. Acupuncture therapy for tennis elbow. Pain 1983; 16:285-288. Acupuncture was compared with methylprednisolone for relieving pain of tennis elbow. Major pain relief was reported at the three-month follow-up in 21 out of 34 of the acupuncture group vs. eight out of 26 in the drug group.
• Loh L, Nathan PW, Schott GD, Zilkha KJ. Acupuncture vs. medical treatment for Migraine and muscle tension headaches. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiat 1984; 47:333-337. This study compared acupuncture with medication (mainly propranolol). Improvement was found in 24 out of 41 patients treated with acupuncture and nine out of 36 patients treated with medications.
• Hu Han-Hwa. A randomized controlled trial on the treatment for acute partial ischemic stroke and acupuncture. Neuroepidemiology 1993; 12:106-113. All patients received standard physical therapy. In addition, half were randomly assigned to receive acupuncture. Significantly better neurological outcomes were determined for the acupuncture group at day 28 and day 90.
• Bullock M, Culliton P, Olander R. Controlled trial of acupuncture for severe recidivist alcoholism. The Lancet June 1989. Significant treatment effects persisted at the end of six-month follow-up.
• Margolin A, Avants SK, Chang P, et al.
Acupuncture for the treatment of cocaine dependence in methadone-maintained patients. American J Addict 1993; 2:194-201. Abstinence rates during the final two weeks of eight-week treatment were: acupuncture, 44%; desipramine, 26%; amantadine, 15%; and drug placebo, 13%.
• Luo H, Jia Y, Zhan L. Electroacupunture vs. amitriptyline in the treatment of depressive states. J Trad Chin Med 1985; 5:3-8. Equal improvement with both treatments but with fewer side effects using acupuncture.
• Sung YF, Kutner MH, Cerine FC, Frederickson EL. Comparison of the effects of acupuncture and codeine on postoperative dental pain. Anesthesia and Analgesia . . . Current Researches 1977; 56:473-478. Postoperative pain was reduced equally by codeine or acupuncture and better by combining acupuncture and codeine.
Source: AcuNet, Encino, CA.
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