Acupuncture can reduce severity of pain and depression, says study
Posted on: 03/Feb/2017 12:44:48 PM
A study conducted by researchers at the University of York has said that acupuncture can boost the effectiveness of standard medical care, reducing the severity of chronic pain and depression. It has said that there is significant evidence to demonstrate that acupuncture provides more than a placebo effect. The study was published in the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Journals Library.
Speaking about the study, the researchers said, The trials involved about 18,000 patients diagnosed with chronic pain of the neck, lower back, head, and knee. The report shows that the addition of acupuncture compared to standard medical care alone significantly reduced the number of headaches and migraine attacks and reduced the severity of neck and lower back pain. It also showed that acupuncture reduced the pain and disability of osteoarthritis, which led to patients being less reliant on anti-inflammatory tablets to control pain. The study also concluded that acupuncture is cost effective. Approximately four million acupuncture treatments are provided a year in the UK, but the evidence to show how clinically effective this form of treatment is has been limited.
The front-line treatment for depression in primary care usually involves antidepressants; however, they do not work well for more than half of patients. In the largest study of its kind, we have now provided a solid evidence base to show that not only can acupuncture and counselling bring patients out of an episode of depression, but it can keep the condition at bay for up to a year on average. The research provides definitive evidence that when acupuncture is used to treat chronic pain, the reductions in pain are substantially more than those measured from sham (placebo) acupuncture.
