The world’s largest controlled randomized trial of the use of acupuncture in ER departments has found that the treatment is a effective and safe alternative to pain relieving drugs in some patients. This study found that it was effectively used in providing long term relief for patients that came to the ER in considerable amounts of pain. The trial conducted in ER departments in four hospitals did show that the pain management remains a critical issue with neither acupuncture or traditional methods providing the adequate immediate relief.
The Medical Journal if Australia has published the study, funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council. The study involved 528 patients with acute lower back pain, ankle sprains, or migraines that went to ER departments at 4 hospitals over the period of a year with those conditions.
Patients randomly received one of three types of treatment: pharmacotherapy alone, acupuncture alone, or a combination of both who had identified their pain levels of being at least a 4 on a 10 point scale.
After one hour of treatment 80% continued to experience a pain rating of at least 4, with less than 40% of the patients across all three groups feeling pain reduction of any significance.
48 hours after the initial treatment the majority of patients across all three groups found the treatment they received to be acceptable. 78.2 in the pharmacotherapy only group saying they would repeat treatment, as compared to 80.8% in the combined treatment group, and 82.8% of the acupuncture only patients.
Some Australian ER departments already offer acupuncture when the trained staff are available. Further studies need to be conducted on ways to improve pain management overall in ER departments and the role that acupuncture may play in this, says Professor Marc Cohen from RMIT’s School Of Health and Biomedical Sciences. Adding that this study shows it be a viable alternative, but they need to determine the conditions most responsive for acupuncture, feasibility of it being an ER treatment, and the training needed to provide it.
