Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
Institute for Family Health, New York, NY, USA.
J Integr Complement Med. 2022 Apr;28(4):328-338. doi: 10.1089/jicm.2021.0192. Epub 2022 Jan 11.
Chronic pain and the current opioid epidemic are pressing public health concerns, especially in low-income and ethnically diverse communities. Nonpharmacologic therapies that are safe, effective, and acceptable for the treatment of chronic pain conditions may provide a solution for addressing this issue. This qualitative analysis explores the experience of study participants who received combined acupuncture and yoga therapy (YT) to treat chronic pain delivered in a primary care setting. The group acupuncture with yoga therapy for chronic neck, low back, and osteoarthritic pain trial (GAPYOGA) assessed the feasibility and effectiveness of group acupuncture (GA) combined with YT in a low-income, racial, and ethnically diverse population. Individual in-depth interviews were conducted with a subset of patients in the trial. Nineteen participants were interviewed for qualitative analysis of their experience. Using the immersion and crystallization method, transcribed interviews were analyzed for themes meaningfully representing participant experience. The combined GA and YT resulted in significant pain relief and transformative healing experiences. Three themes emerged from participant narratives: (1) transformative engagement with self in the healing process through pain relief, psychological well-being, and self-efficacy; (2) therapeutic relationship with acupuncture and yoga providers; and (3) fostering relationships with fellow participants in the group. In this study of a low-income and ethnically diverse population, the combination of acupuncture and YT was found to alleviate pain, improve function, promote psychological well-being, and engage participants in self-care practices in a transformative healing process-resulting in physical and psychological benefits.
慢性疼痛和当前的阿片类药物流行是紧迫的公共卫生问题，尤其是在低收入和种族多样化的社区。安全、有效且可接受的非药物疗法可用于治疗慢性疼痛状况，这可能为解决这一问题提供了一种方法。本定性分析探讨了在初级保健环境中接受联合针灸和瑜伽治疗（YT）治疗慢性疼痛的研究参与者的体验。 针灸联合瑜伽治疗慢性颈痛、腰痛和骨关节炎疼痛试验（GAPYOGA）评估了在低收入、种族和民族多样化人群中进行群体针灸（GA）联合 YT 的可行性和有效性。该试验中对一部分患者进行了个体深入访谈。对 19 名参与者进行了访谈，以对其治疗经验进行定性分析。使用沉浸式和结晶方法，对转录的访谈进行了分析，以提取有意义地代表参与者体验的主题。 联合 GA 和 YT 导致了显著的疼痛缓解和变革性的治疗体验。参与者的叙述中出现了三个主题：（1）通过减轻疼痛、改善心理健康和增强自我效能感，在治疗过程中与自我进行变革性的互动；（2）与针灸和瑜伽提供者的治疗关系；（3）在小组中与其他参与者建立关系。 在这项针对低收入和种族多样化人群的研究中，发现针灸和 YT 的联合使用可以缓解疼痛、改善功能、促进心理健康，并使参与者在变革性的治疗过程中参与自我保健实践，从而带来身体和心理上的益处。
