Acupuntura en una organización sanitaria desde la Unidad de Medicina del Trabajo: prueba piloto en el tratamiento de la cervicalgia crónica

Abstract

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy of Acupuncture applied to workers with chronic neck pain of the Health organization Badalona Serveis Assistencials (BSA), in order to minimize the impact of these symptoms in their welfare. MethodsA longitudinal descriptive pilot study was performed. A program of 12 acupuncture sessions was developed for the treatment of a sample of four BSA's workers with a history of chronic neck pain selected from the Occupational Health Unit. Three main variables were evaluated: pain, functional capacity and quality of life, measured with validated tools used in the first and last session respectively: visual analogue scale; neck disability index scale and COOP-WONCA Charts. Use of drugs and acupuncture side effects were other variables analyzed from the patient's clinical history and with a subjective questionnaire at discharge. ResultsPerceived pain, functional capacity performance and perceived quality of life were found improved in the whole sample with good tolerance to the intervention. The initial use of drugs was completely removed by patients spontaneously. There were no major complications. ConclusionsThe acupuncture program improved pain, functional capacity and quality of life of the participants of the pilot test with good tolerance to it. These results suggest that a redesigned study, increasing the sample size, could be performed successfully in order to compare the acupuncture approach with conventional medical management.