NCT05496543

Acupuncture for Functional Constipation in Older Adults

A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial of Acupuncture in Nourishing Kidney and Dredging Fu Organs for Functional Constipation in Older Adults

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 84 (actual)
• Sponsor: Yin Ping · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 60 Years – 80 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Through a scientific and standardized randomized controlled study, we observe the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture in the treatment of functional constipation in the elderly through the method of "nourishing kidney and dredging Fu organs".

Detailed description

Functional constipation is a common disease of old people. To date, there has not specific therapy on it. Former research showed acupuncture may work for functional constipation. In the trial, patients in the acupuncture and sham acupuncture groups will receive 24 acupuncture treatments over an 8-week period. This RCT is designed to confirm the efficacy and safety of acupuncture in functional constipation treatment.

Conditions

• Constipation - Functional

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	acupuncture	All acupoints will be routinely sterilized at first. After the insertion of the needles, manipulations of lifting, twirling, and thrusting are performed on all needles to reach de qi, which is a sensation typically associated with needling including soreness, numbness, swelling, heaviness, and other feelings. This is considered to be an important component of the therapeutic effect of acupuncture.
DEVICE	sham acupuncture	The placebo needles chosen for this study are flat-tipped needles without a tip, which could not be pierced into the skin. In the meanwhile, an external patch device will fix the needles, which are visually pierced into the skin. After the treatment, the acupuncturist will press the acupuncture point with a dry cotton ball so that the patient can feel the pulling out of the "needle".

Timeline

• Start date: 2022-10-10
• Primary completion: 2024-03-01
• Completion: 2024-09-30
• First posted: 2022-08-11
• Last updated: 2025-05-22

Locations

1 site across 1 country: China