NCT00055354

Acupuncture for the Treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Acupuncture Diagnosis and Treatment of DSM-IV PTSD

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 90 (planned)
• Sponsor: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) · NIH
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The purpose of this study is to evaluate acupuncture as a treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and to correlate the diagnosis of PTSD with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) diagnostic patterns.

Detailed description

This study will evaluate: 1) the TCM diagnostic differentiation patterns of people who have PTSD as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 4th edition; 2) if an acupuncture treatment approach is acceptable to people with PTSD; and 3) if an acupuncture treatment approach is associated with a reduction in PTSD symptoms that is comparable to that of standard treatments. Because symptoms of depression, insomnia, and pain are often associated with PTSD, we will also evaluate the potential benefit of an acupuncture approach to depression, insomnia, and pain symptoms in people with PTSD. Patients in this study will be randomized to one of three groups. Group A will receive acupuncture therapy. Group B will receive standard Cognitive Behavior Therapy. Group C is a control group and will receive no treatment. Patients in Groups A and B will undergo a total of 24 hours of therapy over the 3 month study course. All patients will have five nontherapeutic study visits; these visits will address diagnosis and assessment. Study visits will include assessments of PTSD symptoms, sleep symptoms, and level of impairment.

Conditions

• Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
PROCEDURE	Acupuncture
BEHAVIORAL	Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Timeline

• Start date: 2002-09-01
• Completion: 2004-05-01
• First posted: 2003-02-27
• Last updated: 2006-08-18

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States