A new study suggests that individualized acupuncture could help reduce chronic neck pain for up to 24 weeks.
The research, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, found that acupuncture targeting specific pressure points may be more effective than a placebo or no treatment at all.
Chronic neck pain is a widespread problem, affecting over 280 million people worldwide.
To explore how acupuncture might help, researchers from Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in China conducted a study involving 716 people who had been suffering from chronic neck pain.
The participants were randomly divided into four groups: a waitlist group (no treatment) and three acupuncture groups.
The acupuncture groups included treatments at highly sensitive acupoints, less sensitive acupoints, and sham acupoints (used as a placebo).
Each participant in the acupuncture groups received 10 treatment sessions over the course of four weeks.
The main goal was to see if acupuncture could reduce neck pain by at least 10 points on a visual scale of 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more pain.
Researchers checked the pain levels every four weeks for up to 24 weeks to see if the benefits lasted.
The results showed that acupuncture, especially when done at highly sensitive pressure points, was more effective at reducing neck pain than both the sham acupuncture and the waitlist group.
The pain relief lasted for at least 24 weeks after the treatment ended.
These findings are important because many people with chronic neck pain rely on medications like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and opioids, which can have unwanted side effects. Acupuncture offers a safer, non-drug alternative for those seeking long-term relief.
While the study shows promising results, the researchers note that the clinical significance of acupuncture’s impact on neck pain still needs further investigation.
However, acupuncture could be a valuable option for people looking for safer ways to manage chronic neck pain without medication.
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