NCT04423445

Laser Acupuncture and Acupressure for Low Back Pain

Laser Acupuncture Combined With Acupressure Improves Low Back Pain and Quality of Life: a Randomized Controlled Trial

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 76 (actual)
• Sponsor: En Chu Kong Hospital · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 20 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is a common, huge health and socioeconomic health problem that affects physiological functions and reduces work efficiency in nurses. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of low-level laser acupuncture combined with acupressure (LAA) on pain intensity, pain interference and life dysfunction in hospital nurses with LBP. Methods: This single-blinded randomized controlled trial enrolled a convenience sample of nurses from one teaching hospital. Seventy-six participants were randomly assigned to the LAA group (n=38) receiving low-level laser acupuncture and auricular acupressure for four weeks, and a control group (n=38) receiving a similar intervention but without laser energy and acupressure. Data were collected using the Short Form of the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI-SF) and Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RDQ) at three time points: baseline before the intervention, and Week 2 and Week 4 during the intervention.

Detailed description

The enrollment criteria were age more than 20 years, low back pain with visual analogue scale (LBP\_VAS) ≧3, no regular treatment for low back pain within six weeks, and willing to participate in this study. Exclusion criteria were open wounds on lower back, tumor on the back, ankylosing spondylitis, previous lumbar surgery, coagulopathy or bleeding tendency, or pregnancy.

Conditions

• Low Back Pain

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Laser acupuncture combined with acupressure	Participants received laser acupuncture on the six selected acupuncture points bilaterally twice a week for 4 weeks. A seed was taped onto each of the three points of the unilateral ear (initially, the left ear), where it remained for five days. Pressing on each of the seeds for one minute three times a day was required, but the stimulation intensity was adjusted depending on the participant's individual tolerance. The de qi sensation appears to be an established intervention efficacy indicator during auricular acupressure. After five days, the seed was removed, and a new seed was taped on the other ear.

Timeline

• Start date: 2019-01-15
• Primary completion: 2019-05-22
• Completion: 2019-05-22
• First posted: 2020-06-09
• Last updated: 2020-06-09

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Taiwan