Laser Acupuncture Combined With Acupressure Improves Low Back Pain and Quality of Life: a Randomized Controlled Trial
Overview
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Intervention
- Not specified
- Conditions
- Low Back Pain
- Sponsor
- En Chu Kong Hospital
- Enrollment
- 76
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- pain intensity and interference
- Status
- Completed
- Last Updated
- 5 years ago
Overview
Brief Summary
Background: Low back pain (LBP) is a common, huge health and socioeconomic health problem that affects physiological functions and reduces work efficiency in nurses.
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of low-level laser acupuncture combined with acupressure (LAA) on pain intensity, pain interference and life dysfunction in hospital nurses with LBP.
Methods: This single-blinded randomized controlled trial enrolled a convenience sample of nurses from one teaching hospital. Seventy-six participants were randomly assigned to the LAA group (n=38) receiving low-level laser acupuncture and auricular acupressure for four weeks, and a control group (n=38) receiving a similar intervention but without laser energy and acupressure. Data were collected using the Short Form of the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI-SF) and Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RDQ) at three time points: baseline before the intervention, and Week 2 and Week 4 during the intervention.
Detailed Description
The enrollment criteria were age more than 20 years, low back pain with visual analogue scale (LBP_VAS) ≧3, no regular treatment for low back pain within six weeks, and willing to participate in this study. Exclusion criteria were open wounds on lower back, tumor on the back, ankylosing spondylitis, previous lumbar surgery, coagulopathy or bleeding tendency, or pregnancy.
Investigators
Hsueh-Hua Yang
Principal Investigator
En Chu Kong Hospital
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- •age more than 20 years, low back pain with visual analogue scale (LBP_VAS) ≧3
- •no regular treatment for low back pain within six weeks
- •willing to participate in this study
Exclusion Criteria
- •open wounds on lower back
- •tumor on the back
- •ankylosing spondylitis
- •previous lumbar surgery
- •coagulopathy or bleeding tendency
- •pregnancy
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
pain intensity and interference
Time Frame: Data were collected using the Short Form of the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI-SF) : baseline before the intervention, and the change from pain intensity and interference at 1 month.
Primary pain outcomes were measured by the Chinese version of the Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form (BPI-SF), which consists of 11 items to measure pain intensity and interference with functionality. Regarding pain severity, 4 items allow patients to rate their pain experience in the past 24 hours or one week at its average, worst, and least levels, as well as their pain experience now, on an 11-point Likert-type scale (0 = no pain, 10 = most severe pain).
Secondary Outcomes
- life dysfunction(Data were collected using the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RDQ) : baseline before the intervention, and the change from life dysfunction at 1 month.)