Effects of auricular acupuncture on chronic pain in people with back musculoskeletal disorders: a randomized clinical trial

Moura, Caroline de Castro; Chaves, Erika de Cássia Lopes; Chianca, Tânia Couto Machado; Ruginsk, Silvia Graciela; Nogueira, Denismar Alves; Iunes, Denise Hollanda

doi:10.1590/S1980-220X2018009003418

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ORIGINAL ARTICLE • Rev. esc. enferm. USP 53 • 2019 • https://doi.org/10.1590/S1980-220X2018009003418 copy

Effects of auricular acupuncture on chronic pain in people with back musculoskeletal disorders: a randomized clinical trial^* * Extracted from the dissertation: “Ação da acupuntura auricular chinesa sobre a dor crônica em pessoas com distúrbios musculoesqueléticos na coluna vertebral: ensaio clínico randomizado”, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Enfermagem da Universidade Federal de Alfenas, 2016.

Efectos de la auriculoacupuntura en el dolor crónico en personas con disturbios musculoesqueléticos en la espalda: ensayo clínico randomizado

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

ABSTRACT

Objective:

To evaluate the effects of auricular acupuncture on pain intensity, its impact on daily activities, the relief provided by the intervention, and the pain threshold in people with back musculoskeletal disorders.

Methods:

Randomized clinical trial carried out with people randomly allocated into three groups: treatment, placebo, and control. Evaluations were performed using the Brief Pain Inventory and a digital algometer before (initial) and after (final) the treatment and after a 15-day follow-up period.

Results:

The sample was 110 people. There was a decrease in pain intensity in the treatment and placebo groups as revealed by the comparison between the initial and final evaluations (p<0.05), and in the treatment group in the comparison between the initial and follow-up evaluations (p<0.05). A decreased impact of pain on daily activities in the treatment and placebo groups over time was found (p<0.05). At the final evaluation, the impact of pain was lower in the treatment group (p<0.05). Auricular acupuncture did not increase the pain threshold.

Conclusion:

Auricular acupuncture presented positive effects by reducing the chronic pain intensity and its impact on daily activities in people with back musculoskeletal disorders. Brazilian Clinical Trials Registry: RBR-5X69X2

DESCRIPTORS:
Chronic Pain; Musculoskeletal Pain; Acupuncture, Ear; Rehabilitation; Holistic Nursing; Complementary Therapies

Variables			Treatment group	Placebo group	Control group	p value
Variables			(n=37)	(n=36)	(n=37)	p value
Age (µ±sd) (years)			47.51±13.89	51.03±14.90	46.19±15.73	0.272^a
Gender (%)
	Male		18.90	25.00	18.90	0.763^b
	Female		81.10	75.00	81.10
Pain duration (µ±sd) (months)			47.51±13.89	51.03±14.90	46.19±15.73	0.850^a
Pain type (%)
	Constant		48.60	47.2	27.00	0.108^b
	Recurring		51.40	52.8	73.00
Impact of pain	Impact on activities of daily living (%)
		Eating	8.10	2.80	0.00	0.167^a
		Dressing	27.00	19.40	24.30	0.742^a
		Showering	2.70	19.40	13.50	0.080^a
		Intimate hygiene	8.10	11.10	5.40	0.673^a
	Mood swings (%)
		Depressive	32.40	44.40	21.6	0.115^a
		Anxious	75.70	77.80	59.5	0.167^a
	Emotional change (%)
		Fear of movement	59.50	61.10	48.60	0.504^a
	Physical stamina (%)
		Tiredness	75.70	77.80	75.70	0.971^a
	Impossibility to practice physical activities (%)		59.50	61.10	54.10	0.814^a
Most common causes of pain		Posture changes (%)	16.21	44.44	16.21	--
Most common causes of pain		Osteoarthritis (%)	35.13	41.65	16.21	--

	Group	Evaluations
	Group	Initial	Final	Follow-up
Pain intensity	Treatment	4.86±2.79^ac	2.46±3.03^ab	3.78±3.49^bc
	(n=37)	3.93-5.79	1.45-3.47	2.61-4.94
	Placebo	4.89±2.74^a	2.89±2.98^a	3.61±3.49
	(n=36)	3.96-5.81	1.96-3.81	2.43-4.79
	Control	3.68±3.11	3.65±3.35	3.73±2.86
	(n=37)	2.64-4.71	2.53-4.76	2.77-4.68
Pain relief	Treatment	0.00±0.00^ac	73.51±22.14^abd	62.16±30.19^bc
	(n=37)	0.00-0.00	66.12-80.89	52.09-72.22
	Placebo	0.00±0.00^ac	55.83±27.08^ad	63.06±32.58^cd
	(n=36)	0.00-0.00	46.66-64.99	52.03-74.08
	Control	0.00±0.00	28.11±38.50^d	29.46±39.02^d
	(n=37)	0.00-0.00	16.94-39.27	16.45-42.46
Impact of pain	Treatment	5.03±2.54^acd	1.59±2.61^abd	2.51±3.06^bc
	(n=37)	4.18-5.87	0.72-2.46	1.49-3.53
	Placebo	4.92±2.64^ac	2.82±2.98^a	3.26±4.42^c
	(n=36)	4.02-5.81	1.81-3.82	1.76-4.75
	Control	3.71±2.51	3.58±2.76	3.80±2.89
	(n=37)	2.87-4.54	2.65-4.50	2.87-4.72

Groups	Evaluations
Groups	Initial	Final	Follow-up
Treatment	(2.38±1.27)	(2.21±0.90)	(2.14±0.86)
(n=37)	1.95-2.80	1.90-2.51	1.85-2.43
Placebo	(3.00±2.16)	(2.49±1.07)	(2.45±1.26)
(n=36)	2.27-3.73	2.13-2.85	2.02-2.87
Control	(2.07±1.22)	(2.13±1.03)	(2.06±1.00)
(n=37)	1.66-2.47	1.78-2.47	1.73-2.39

Universidade de São Paulo, Escola de Enfermagem Av. Dr. Enéas de Carvalho Aguiar, 419 , 05403-000 São Paulo - SP/ Brasil, Tel./Fax: (55 11) 3061-7553, - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
E-mail: reeusp@usp.br

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[1] Corresponding author: Caroline de Castro Moura Escola de Enfermagem, UFMG Avenida Professor Alfredo Balena, 190, Santa Efigênia CEP 30130-100 - Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil carol_castro_m@hotmail.com