Effects of auricular acupuncture on chronic pain in people with back musculoskeletal disorders: a randomized clinical trial.

Author: Moura CC1, Chaves ECL2, Chianca TCM3, Ruginsk SG4, Nogueira DA5, Iunes DH6
Affiliation:
1Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Escola de Enfermagem. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Enfermagem, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
2Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Escola de Enfermagem, Alfenas, MG, Brazil.
3Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Escola de Enfermagem, Departamento de Enfermagem Básica, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
4Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Alfenas, MG, Brazil.
5Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Instituto de Ciências Exatas, Departamento de Estatística, Alfenas, MG, Brazil.
6Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Escola de Enfermagem, Departamento de Fisioterapia, Alfenas, MG, Brazil.
Conference/Journal: Rev Esc Enferm USP.
Date published: 2019 Jan 21
Other: Volume ID: 53 , Pages: e03418 , Special Notes: doi: 10.1590/S1980-220X2018009003418. [Article in English, Portuguese] , Word Count: 201


OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of auricular acupuncture on pain intensity, its impact on daily activities, the relief provided by the intervention, and the pain threshold in people with back musculoskeletal disorders.

METHODS: Randomized clinical trial carried out with people randomly allocated into three groups: treatment, placebo, and control. Evaluations were performed using the Brief Pain Inventory and a digital algometer before (initial) and after (final) the treatment and after a 15-day follow-up period.

RESULTS: The sample was 110 people. There was a decrease in pain intensity in the treatment and placebo groups as revealed by the comparison between the initial and final evaluations (p<0.05), and in the treatment group in the comparison between the initial and follow-up evaluations (p<0.05). A decreased impact of pain on daily activities in the treatment and placebo groups over time was found (p<0.05). At the final evaluation, the impact of pain was lower in the treatment group (p<0.05). Auricular acupuncture did not increase the pain threshold.

CONCLUSION: Auricular acupuncture presented positive effects by reducing the chronic pain intensity and its impact on daily activities in people with back musculoskeletal disorders. Brazilian Clinical Trials Registry: RBR-5X69X2.

PMID: 30673051 DOI: 10.1590/S1980-220X2018009003418

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