Acupuncture alleviates pain in patients with sciatica from a herniated disk

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2024-10-15 02:00

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A 'gold standard' clinical trial in China compared acupuncture with 'sham acupuncture' in 216 patients with sciatica from a herniated disk and found the ancient practice is effective in reducing leg pain and improving measures of disability, with the benefits persisting for at least a year after treatment. Around half the participants received genuine acupuncture while the other half had acupuncture needles inserted at points on the body which are considered to have no effect. Acupuncture can alleviate pain and improve function among patients with chronic sciatica from a herniated disk and should be considered as a potential treatment option, the authors conclude.

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Journal/
conference: JAMA Internal Medicine

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, China

Funder: This trial was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (No. 2019YFC1712101) and National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars (No. 81825024).

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