Department of Health Sciences, University of York,York, UK.
Acupunct Med. 2010 Dec;28(4):185-8. doi: 10.1136/aim.2010.002279.
Reactions to treatment are common following acupuncture. Understanding how these reactions are interpreted by patients is largely unexplored.
To examine patients ratings of the severity and bothersomeness of a range of common treatment reactions, and to assess their impact on willingness to try acupuncture again.
Self-reported ratings of the frequency, severity and bothersomeness of treatment reactions from 133 patients in the acupuncture arm of a pragmatic randomised controlled trial of acupuncture for chronic back pain are described and analysed.
A total of 133 acupuncture patients reported at3 months reactions that they had experienced at anytime during a course of up to 10 acupuncture treatment sessions. They received a total of 1150 treatments, an average of 8.6 sessions per patient. All patients reported treatment reactions, most commonly relaxation (84%,n = 112), which was significantly associated with willingness to try acupuncture again, (χ2 = 7.860,df = 1, p = 0.005). Only 16% (n=21) were unwilling to experience a specific treatment reaction again, and 9%(n = 12) were unwilling to try acupuncture again. The most bothersome reaction was a temporary worsening of symptoms (29%, n=38), though this was not associated with an unwillingness to try acupuncture again (χ2 = 0.382, df = 1, p>0.536). Those unwilling to try acupuncture again reported significantly less reduction in their pain at 3 months (mean (SE) SF-36 bodily pain score at 3 months 30.453 (3.598) vs 19.30(1.128); p=0.003).
Among this group of patients seeking help for low back pain, the experience of treatment reactions was universal. There was no evidence that the bothersomeness of treatment reactions was associated with patient's willingness to try acupuncture again. The benefit of pain reduction over the course of treatment appeared to outweigh self-rated bothersome reactions to treatment.
针刺治疗后常出现不良反应。目前，人们对患者对这些反应的解释知之甚少。
检查患者对一系列常见治疗反应的严重程度和困扰程度的评分，并评估其对再次尝试针刺的意愿的影响。
描述和分析了一项针刺治疗慢性腰痛的实用随机对照试验中针刺组的 133 名患者的自我报告的治疗反应频率、严重程度和困扰程度，并进行了分析。
共有 133 名接受针刺治疗的患者报告称，在多达 10 次针刺治疗过程中的任何时间都经历过治疗反应。他们总共接受了 1150 次治疗，平均每位患者 8.6 次。所有患者均报告了治疗反应，最常见的是放松（84%，n=112），这与再次尝试针刺的意愿显著相关（χ2=7.860，df=1，p=0.005）。只有 16%（n=21）的患者不愿意再次经历特定的治疗反应，而 9%（n=12）的患者不愿意再次尝试针刺。最困扰的反应是症状暂时加重（29%，n=38），但这与再次尝试针刺的意愿无关（χ2=0.382，df=1，p>0.536）。那些不愿意再次尝试针刺的患者报告称，在 3 个月时疼痛明显减轻（3 个月时 SF-36 身体疼痛评分均值（SE）30.453（3.598）与 19.30（1.128）；p=0.003）。
在这群寻求腰痛治疗的患者中，治疗反应是普遍存在的。没有证据表明治疗反应的困扰程度与患者再次尝试针刺的意愿有关。治疗过程中疼痛减轻的益处似乎超过了对治疗反应的自我评估困扰程度。
