Positive Health Online

Abstract

USICHENKO and co-workers, Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Ernst Moritz Arndt University of Greifswald, Friedrich Loeffler Str. 23b, 17487 Greifswald, Germany, taras@uni-greifswald.de, have conducted a study of ear acupuncture for pain relief after surgery.

Background

The aim of the study was to quantify the effectiveness of auricular acupuncture for postoperative pain.

Methodology

In this randomized, placebo-controlled, single-blinded study, patients who were scheduled for total hip arthroplasty either received true auricular acupuncture on 4 points (29 patients) or sham treatment on 4 non-acupuncture points (25 patients). Needles were left in situ for 3 days after surgery. Patients had an opioid pump for pain control. Time to first request for analgesia, the amount of opioid used, and pain on a VAS, were the outcome measures.

Results

Analgesic requirements were lower in the acupuncture group than in the placebo group (37 mg vs. 54 mg; p = 0.004). Pain intensities were not significantly different in the two groups (which is to be expected when pain is controlled by analgesic).

Conclusion

Auricular acupuncture can be used to reduce postoperative analgesic requirement.

References

Usichenko TI, Dinse M, Hermsen M, Witstruck T, Pavlovic D Lehmann Ch. Auricular acupuncture for pain relief after total hip arthroplasty – a randomized controlled study. Pain 114 (3): 320-