A Randomized Clinical Trial of Auricular Point Acupressure for Chronic Low Back Pain: A Feasibility Study

Abstract

Objectives. This prospective, randomized clinical trial (RCT) was designed to investigate the feasibility and effects of a 4-week auricular point acupressure (APA) for chronic low back pain (CLBP). Methods. Participants were randomized to either true APA (true acupoints with taped seeds on the designated ear points for CLBP) or sham APA (sham acupoints with taped seeds but on different locations than those designated for CLBP). The duration of treatment was four weeks. Participants were assessed before treatment, weekly during treatment, and 1 month following treatment. Results. Participants in the true APA group who completed the 4-week APA treatment had a 70% reduction in worst pain intensity, a 75% reduction in overall pain intensity, and a 42% improvement in disability due to back pain from baseline assessment. The reductions of worst pain and overall pain intensity in the true APA group were statistically greater than participants in the sham group (P < 0.01) at the completion of a 4-week APA and 1 month followup. Discussion. The preliminary findings of this feasibility study showed a reduction in pain intensity and improvement in physical function suggesting that APA may be a promising treatment for patients with CLBP.

Effect of self-acupressure for symptom management: A systematic review

“…Review of the full articles resulted in exclusion of an additional 15 studies. 3,[8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21] Studies were excluded because they did not report self-acupressure, did not directly compare acupressure and placebo/control, did not include extracted clinical outcomes, were duplicate studies, or were not original articles. At the end of the review process, 10 studies (eight RCTs and two quasi-RCTs) out of 793 articles were selected for inclusion in this review ( Figure 1).…”

The Application of a Comprehensive and Systematic Auricular Diagnosis for Musculoskeletal System Disorder: A Treatment Protocol for Chronic Low-Back Pain

“…The reductions in worst pain and overall pain intensity in the real APA group were significantly higher than those in the sham group ( p < 0.01). 9 Patients who received real APA had decreased interleukin (IL)-1b, IL-4, IL-6, and IL-10 and increased IL-2, compared with those in the sham APA group, as noted in another study. 5 The correlations of pain intensity were moderate (Spearman coefficient was 0.35 for IL-1b, 0.44 for IL-4, and -0.22 for tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-a) for patients in the real APA group, as noted in another study.…”

“…9 A total of 21 patients were randomized, and 19 completed the study (90%). These 21 patients were recruited from primary-care settings within 2 months, with only minimal advertising about the study.…”

“…13 In the current authors' pilot studies for CLBP, 1 week of APA reduced pain intensity by 45%, 14 and 4 weeks achieved even more pain relief (a 75% reduction) and maintained effects at a 1-month follow-up. 9 …”

Brief Report: Is Acupressure an Effective Treatment of Lower Back Pain? A Narrative Review

“…Following this the group conducted a prospective, randomized clinical trial to investigate the feasibility and effects of a 4-week auricular point acupressure (APA) for chronic LBP [6]. Subjects were randomized to either true APA or sham APA (sham acupoints with taped seeds but on different locations than those designated for LBP).…”