Auricular point acupressure to manage chronic low back pain in older adults: a randomized controlled pilot study.

Natalia E Morone,Chao Hsing Yeh,Juan Shen,Ronald M Glick,Lung-Chang Chien,Samuel Hoffman,Yuling Cao,Huijuan Lu,Zhan Liang,Shreya Bhatnagar,Lorna Kwai-Ping Suen,Leah Margolis

doi:10.1155/2014/375173

Abstract

This prospective, randomized clinical trial (RCT) pilot study was designed to (1) assess the feasibility and tolerability of an easily administered, auricular point acupressure (APA) intervention and (2) provide an initial assessment of effect size as compared to a sham treatment. Thirty-seven subjects were randomized to receive either the real or sham APA treatment. All participants were treated once a week for 4 weeks. Self-report measures were obtained at baseline, weekly during treatment, at end-of-intervention (EOI), and at a 1-month follow-up. A dropout rate of 26% in the real APA group and 50% in the sham group was observed. The reduction in worst pain from baseline to EOI was 41% for the real and 5% for the sham group with a Cohen's effect size of 1.22 (P < 0.00). Disability scores on the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ) decreased in the real group by 29% and were unchanged in the sham group (+3%) (P < 0.00). Given the high dropout rate, results must be interpreted with caution; nevertheless, our results suggest that APA may provide an inexpensive and effective complementary approach for the management of back pain in older adults, and further study is warranted.

Highlights

Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is the most common selfreported physician-diagnosed pain condition among those 65 years or older in the United States [1,2,3]
The results indicate that the adherence rate during the 4-week auricular point acupressure (APA) was high in week 1 and gradually decreased
As seven participants were referred by the participants who had enrolled in the study, older adults seem to be enthusiastic about APA treatment

Summary

Introduction

Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is the most common selfreported physician-diagnosed pain condition among those 65 years or older in the United States [1,2,3]. CLBP imposes a significant societal and economic burden on the U.S healthcare system [4,5,6]. Multidisciplinary approaches (i.e., education, exercise, analgesics, spinal manipulation, and behavior) have suggested protocols, techniques, or guidelines for acute and chronic back pain [7], but these treatments have limited efficacy [8]. Older adults are less likely to receive adjunctive care for their pain such as spinal manipulation, massage therapy, or electrical stimulation [8, 9]. The continued high prevalence of CLBP highlights the need for better pain management strategies.

Methods

Results

Conclusion