Is acupuncture in addition to conventional medicine effective as pain treatment for endometriosis? A randomised controlled cross-over trial.
Author: Rubi-Klein K, Kucera-Sliutz E, Nissel H, Bijak M, Stockenhuber D, Fink M, Wolkenstein E.
Affiliation:
Johannes Bischko Institute of Acupuncture, Huglgasse 1-3, 1150 Vienna, Austria; Department of Internal Medicine, Kaiserin Elisabeth Hospital, Huglgasse 1-3, 1150 Vienna, Austria; Hannover Medical School, Department for Rehabilitation Medicine, Germany.
Conference/Journal: Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol.
Date published: 2010 Aug 20
Other:
Word Count: 196
OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to examine whether acupuncture is an effective additional pain treatment for endometriosis.
STUDY DESIGN: One hundred and one women aged 20-40 years participated and were randomised into two groups, each receiving two units of 10 acupuncture treatments, twice a week over a period of five weeks. Group 1 (n=47) received verum-acupuncture during the first series, and group 2 (n=54) received non-specific acupuncture. After the first unit of 10 treatments, an observation period of at least two menstruation cycles was set, followed by a second unit, according to a cross-over design. Prior to the study (during a two-week run-in period) the patients' actual pain intensity was surveyed. Throughout the study period, participants were asked to keep a 'pain protocol', in which they defined and recorded their pain according to the 10-point visual analogue scale (VAS).
RESULTS: Eighty-three out of a total of 101 patients finished the study. Group 1 showed a significant reduction of pain intensity after the first 10 treatments. In comparison, group 2 showed significant pain relief only after the cross-over.
CONCLUSION: Acupuncture treatment on specific acupuncture points appears to be an effective pain treatment for endometriosis, but this has to be confirmed in further study.
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