Evaluation of the Immediate Effect of Auricular Acupuncture on Pain and Electromyographic Activity of the Upper Trapezius Muscle in Patients with Nonspecific Neck Pain: A Randomized, Single-Blinded, Sham-Controlled, Crossover Study

Silva, A.C. de O.

Biasotto-Gonzalez, D.A.

Santos, D.M. dos

Melo, N.C.D.

Gomes, C.A.F. de P.

Amorim, C.F.

Politti, F.

Evidence-based Complementary & Alternative Medicine (eCAM)

2015

2015

RCT

NECK pain -- Treatment

Acupuncture

ANALYSIS of variance

CROSSOVER trials

Ear

Electrodes

Electromyography

RESEARCH -- Finance

Statistics

T-test (Statistics)

TRAPEZIUS muscle

SAMPLE size (Statistics)

DATA analysis

PAIN measurement

RANDOMIZED controlled trials

TREATMENT effectiveness

REPEATED measures design

BLIND experiment

DATA analysis -- Software

Brazil

Background. The aim of the present study was to assess the immediate effects of auricular acupuncture (AA) on the electromyographic (EMG) activity of the upper trapezius muscle and pain in nonspecific neck pain (NS-NP) patients. Twelve patients with NS-NP (NS-NP group) and 12 healthy subjects (HS Group) were enrolled in a randomized, single-blinded, crossover study. Each subject received a single session of AA and sham AA (SAA). Surface EMG activity was measured in the upper trapezius muscle at different “step contractions” of isometric shoulder elevation (15%, 20%, 25%, and 30% MVC). The outcome measure in patients with NS-NP was based on the numerical pain rating scale (NRS). AA treatment led to a significant decrease in EMG activity in both groups (NS-NP group: p = 0.0001; HS group: p < 0.0001—ANOVA test). This was not the case for the SAA treatment (NS-NP group: p = 0.71; HS group: p < 0.54). Significant decreases (p < 0.001) in the NRS were found for both treatments (AA and SAA). This study demonstrated the immediate effect of auricular acupuncture on the electromyographic activity of the upper trapezius muscle but the effect of this intervention on pain symptoms in patients with nonspecific neck pain was inconclusive.

Accession Number: 109990308; Source Information: 9/16/2015, Vol. 2015, p1; Subject Term: NECK pain -- Treatment; Subject Term: ACUPUNCTURE; Subject Term: ANALYSIS of variance; Subject Term: CROSSOVER trials; Subject Term: EAR; Subject Term: ELECTRODES; Subject Term: ELECTROMYOGRAPHY; Subject Term: RESEARCH -- Finance; Subject Term: STATISTICS; Subject Term: T-test (Statistics); Subject Term: TRAPEZIUS muscle; Subject Term: SAMPLE size (Statistics); Subject Term: DATA analysis; Subject Term: PAIN measurement; Subject Term: RANDOMIZED controlled trials; Subject Term: TREATMENT effectiveness; Subject Term: REPEATED measures design; Subject Term: BLIND experiment; Subject Term: DATA analysis -- Software; Subject Term: ; Geographic Subject: BRAZIL; Geographic Subject: ; Number of Pages: 8p; ; Illustrations: 2 Diagrams, 2 Charts, 1 Graph; ; Document Type: Article;

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