Moss David A, Crawford Paul
From the US Air Force, North Las Vegas, NV.
J Am Board Fam Med. 2015 Nov-Dec;28(6):697-705. doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2015.06.150014.
Sore throat is a common cause of pain in outpatient encounters. Battlefield auricular acupuncture (the placing of needles in specific points in the ear) is a modality used to treat acute pain associated with a variety of ailments. The aim of our study was to determine whether auricular acupuncture reduces pain, medication usage, and missed work hours when added to standard therapy in adult patients with acute sore throat.
We conducted an unblinded, pragmatic, randomized controlled trial among adult, nonpregnant patients presenting to an Air Force family medicine clinic with pain from acute sore throat. A total of 54 patients were followed for 48 hours after treatment.
Patients receiving auricular acupuncture reported lower pain scores than those who did not at 15 minutes (6.0 [95% confidence interval (CI), 5.4-6.6] vs 2.6 [95% CI, 1.7-3.5]; P < .0001), 6 hours (4.8 [95% CI, 4.0-5.6] vs 2.5 [95% CI, 1.6-3.4]; P = .0005), and 24 hours (4.1 [95% CI, 3.3-4.9] vs 1.3 [95% CI, 1.0-2.8]; P = .0006). They also reported taking fewer cumulative doses of pain medication at 6 hours (1.07 [95% CI, 0.69-1.45] vs 0.39 [95% CI, 0.2-0.58]; P = .003), 24 hours (2.63 [95% CI, 1.95-3.31] vs 1.37 [95% CI, 0.92-1.82]; P = .004), and 48 hours (4.07 [95% CI, 2.9-5.24] vs 2.19 [95% CI, 1.44-2.94]; P = .009). There was no difference in time missed from work between the auricular acupuncture and standard therapy groups.
Compared with usual treatment, battlefield auricular acupuncture was associated with reduced sore throat pain for 24 hours and decreased use of pain medication for up to 48 hours. There was no apparent effect on hours missed from work.
咽喉疼痛是门诊患者疼痛的常见原因。战地耳针疗法（在耳部特定穴位针刺）是一种用于治疗与多种疾病相关的急性疼痛的方法。我们研究的目的是确定在成年急性咽喉疼痛患者中，耳针疗法加标准治疗是否能减轻疼痛、减少药物使用及减少误工时间。
我们在一家空军家庭医学诊所对因急性咽喉疼痛就诊的成年非孕患者进行了一项非盲、实用、随机对照试验。共54例患者在治疗后随访48小时。
接受耳针疗法的患者在15分钟时疼痛评分低于未接受耳针疗法的患者（6.0[95%置信区间（CI），5.4 - 6.6] 对比2.6[95%CI，1.7 - 3.5]；P <.0001），6小时时（4.8[95%CI，4.0 - 5.6] 对比2.5[95%CI，1.6 - 3.4]；P =.0005），以及24小时时（4.1[95%CI，3.3 - 4.9] 对比1.3[95%CI，1.0 - 2.8]；P =.0006）。他们还报告在6小时时累积服用的止痛药物剂量较少（1.07[95%CI，0.69 - 1.45] 对比0.39[95%CI，0.2 - 0.58]；P =.003），24小时时（2.63[95%CI，1.95 - 3.31] 对比1.37[95%CI，0.92 - 1.82]；P =.004），以及48小时时（4.07[95%CI，2.9 - 5.24] 对比2.19[95%CI，1.44 - 2.94]；P =.009）。耳针疗法组和标准治疗组的误工时间没有差异。
与常规治疗相比，战地耳针疗法可使咽喉疼痛减轻24小时，并使止痛药物使用减少长达48小时。对误工时间没有明显影响。
