Margot De Kooning1, Yannick Tobbackx2, Mira Meeus3, Lieven Wauters4, Kelly Ickmans5, Peter De Vilder6, Johan Roose7, Tom Verhaeghe7, Jo Nijs8. 1. Pain in Motion Research Group (www.paininmotion.be); Department of Human Physiology and Physiotherapy, Faculty of Physical Education & Physiotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium; Department of Physical Medicine and Physiotherapy, University Hospital Brussels, Brussels, Belgium; Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium. 2. Pain in Motion Research Group, www.paininmotion.be; and Born Bunge Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp (UA), Antwerp, Belgium;De Zuil, Centre for Chronic Pain Treatment and Relaxation Therapy, Westerlo, Belgium. 3. Pain in Motion Research Group (www.paininmotion.be); Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium. 4. Private practice for acupuncture, Sint-Niklaas, Belgium. 5. Pain in Motion Research Group (www.paininmotion.be). 6. Belgian Acupuncture Federation, Schoten, Belgium. 7. European Federation of Oriental Medicine, Eigenbilzen, Belgium. 8. Pain in Motion Research Group (www.paininmotion.be); Department of Human Physiology and Physiotherapy, Faculty of Physical Education & Physiotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium; Department of Physical Medicine and Physiotherapy, University Hospital Brussels, Brussels, Belgium.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: An acupuncture treatment can reduce pain sensitivity in patients with chronic whiplash associated disorders (WAD). But it has been hypothesized that many of the experimental results in acupuncture research could be interpreted as stress-induced analgesia. OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed at examining whether acupuncture has an effect on the autonomic nervous system response in patients with chronic WAD and if this response is related to the pain inhibition after an acupuncture session. STUDY DESIGN: Randomized crossover trial with blinded assessor. SETTING: Two private practices. METHODS:Thirty-nine patients with chronic WAD received 2 treatment sessions of identical duration, with acupuncture and relaxation therapy randomly crossed over in the 2 visits. The primary outcome measurement was the registration of autonomic nervous system parameters (heart rate, skin conductance, and heart rate variability parameters) during the administration of experimental pain. Endogenous analgesia was the secondary outcome. RESULTS: Following one acupuncture treatment session, there was a significant change for 2 parameters: the heart rate was slightly reduced and the skin conductance was raised. Comparing the effects of acupuncture and relaxation, no differences were found with respect to the change in any of the autonomic parameters. Further, the reduction in pain sensitivity in response to acupuncture treatment was unrelated to any of the changes in autonomic measurements. LIMITATIONS: The results were observed after only one session of acupuncture. CONCLUSION: In patients with chronic WAD, in response to a single treatment session, no acupuncture specific effects on the autonomic response to pain assessment were present and the analgesia after one session of acupuncture is not caused by stress-induced analgesia but is more likely the result of an acupuncture specific reaction.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND: An acupuncture treatment can reduce pain sensitivity in patients with chronic whiplash associated disorders (WAD). But it has been hypothesized that many of the experimental results in acupuncture research could be interpreted as stress-induced analgesia. OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed at examining whether acupuncture has an effect on the autonomic nervous system response in patients with chronic WAD and if this response is related to the pain inhibition after an acupuncture session. STUDY DESIGN: Randomized crossover trial with blinded assessor. SETTING: Two private practices. METHODS: Thirty-nine patients with chronic WAD received 2 treatment sessions of identical duration, with acupuncture and relaxation therapy randomly crossed over in the 2 visits. The primary outcome measurement was the registration of autonomic nervous system parameters (heart rate, skin conductance, and heart rate variability parameters) during the administration of experimental pain. Endogenous analgesia was the secondary outcome. RESULTS: Following one acupuncture treatment session, there was a significant change for 2 parameters: the heart rate was slightly reduced and the skin conductance was raised. Comparing the effects of acupuncture and relaxation, no differences were found with respect to the change in any of the autonomic parameters. Further, the reduction in pain sensitivity in response to acupuncture treatment was unrelated to any of the changes in autonomic measurements. LIMITATIONS: The results were observed after only one session of acupuncture. CONCLUSION: In patients with chronic WAD, in response to a single treatment session, no acupuncture specific effects on the autonomic response to pain assessment were present and the analgesia after one session of acupuncture is not caused by stress-induced analgesia but is more likely the result of an acupuncture specific reaction.
Authors: Michael Hauck; Sven Schröder; Gesa Meyer-Hamme; Jürgen Lorenz; Sunja Friedrichs; Guido Nolte; Christian Gerloff; Andreas K Engel Journal: Sci Rep Date: 2017-11-24 Impact factor: 4.379
Authors: Irene Lázaro-Navas; Cristina Lorenzo-Sánchez-Aguilera; Daniel Pecos-Martín; Jose Jesús Jiménez-Rejano; Marcos Jose Navarro-Santana; Josué Fernández-Carnero; Tomás Gallego-Izquierdo Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-06-03 Impact factor: 3.390