Acupuncture reduced chronic sciatica pain compared to sham acupuncture, with benefits lasting up to 52 weeks, according to a recent multicenter randomized clinical trial.
Researchers evaluated the efficacy of acupuncture versus sham acupuncture in patients with chronic sciatica secondary to herniated disk. Conducted at six tertiary hospitals in China, the study included 216 patients with moderate-to-severe leg pain who were randomized to receive either 10 sessions of acupuncture or sham acupuncture over four weeks.
The primary endpoints were changes in pain, assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and disability, measured by the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). At week 4, the acupuncture group experienced a significant reduction in leg pain, with a mean decrease of 30.8 mm on the VAS, compared with a 14.9 mm reduction in the sham group. Similarly, the ODI showed greater improvement in the acupuncture group with a mean decrease of 13.0 points compared with the sham group with a mean decrease of 4.9 points. The effects on both pain and function persisted through week 52.
At week 52, the mean difference in leg pain intensity between the acupuncture and sham groups was 10.8 mm on the VAS, and the mean difference in disability, as measured by the ODI, was 4.8 points.
No serious adverse events were reported.
The study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, indicated acupuncture could be a safe and effective treatment option for patients with chronic sciatica from herniated disks, showing statistically significant improvements in both pain relief and physical function.
Full disclosures can be found in the published study.