Many people suffer from chronic neck pain. This study aimed to determine
the efficacy and safety of acupuncture in comparison with transcutaneous
nerve stimulation-placebo (TENS-placebo) in the treatment of chronic
neck pain, with random assignment to two parallel groups of 123 patients
and evaluation and analysis by independent evaluators. These patients
had been diagnosed with neck pain and experienced neck motion-related
pain intensity equal to or exceeding 30 on a scale of 0 to 100 (visual
analogue scale). Acupuncture was compared with TENS-placebo treatment
applied over 5 sessions in three weeks.
The change in pain scores was greater in the acupuncture group--with
significant improvements in quality of life (physical aspect), neck
mobility, and reduced rescue medication. The researchers conclude that
in the treatment of chronic neck pain acupuncture was more effective
than the placebo treatment and is safe for routine use in clinical practice.
Vas J, Perea-Milla E, Mendez C, Sanchez Navarro C, Leon Rubio JM, Brioso
M, Garcia Obrero I. Adapted from Pain. 2006 Dec 15;126(1-3):245-55.
PMID: 16934402
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed
Credit: PubMed, developed by the National Center for Biotechnology Information
(NCBI) at the National
Library of Medicine (NLM).
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