Auricular Acupuncture and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Treatment for Insomnia

Summary

"Auricular acupuncture and cognitive behavioral therapy in the context of insomnia and low dose dependence of benzodiazepine-like drugs and other sleep medicine with addiction risk"

INTRODUCTION: Insomnia is a common health problem in Sweden, which increases with age and is more prevalent among women.

It is defined by unsatisfied sleep quality during more than a month's time. The main symptoms are difficulties falling- and/or maintaining sleep, involuntary awakenings during the night of early morning, day time sleepiness and decreased will for day time activity due to sleepiness. Insomnia is ranked to be the fifth most common cause of prescription of medicine at the outpatient clinics in general health care in Sweden. In 2008 a prevalence study was initiated in Sweden by the Swedish Council on Health Technology Assessment (SBU). The study showed that 24% of the Swedish population suffered from sleep disorders. Sleeping disorders can go on for many years and can therefore entail significant personal suffering.

Usually sleep medicine combined with general sleeping advices is the first-hand treatment for insomnia. However, according to SBU, first treatment should be non-pharmacological, for instance cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Despite this recommendation the prescribing of sleep medicine is still high.

There are studies that suggest auricular acupuncture (AA) to be an effective method to treat insomnia. However more evidence is needed to draw firm conclusions.

AIM: The aim of the study is to investigate if AA is as effective as CBT to treat insomnia for patients who have stopped using benzodiazepine-like sleep medicine.

METHOD: This is a randomized controlled study (RTC) including patients suffering from insomnia, with a low dose dependence of benzodiazepine-like drugs. The patients will be recruited from primary care and from an out-patient clinic specialized in sleeping disorders and also by add in the local news paper. The respondents will be randomized to one of two groups; group I will receive AA twice a week for 4 weeks; group II will receive CBT once a week for six weeks. After three months there will be a long-time follow up in order to investigate a potential long-term effect.

Conditions

• Insomnia
• Quality of Life

Interventions

OTHER

Auricular acupuncture (AA)

Auricular acupuncture (AA) group will receive treatment twice a week for four weeks. Each session will take approximately 60 minutes in which there will be active treatment time for 40 minutes. During treatment the respondents will have 5 thin sterile, disposable steel needles superficially placed in each outer ear. Before needle insertion the outer ears will be cleaned with disinfection solution. During treatment the respondents will sit down in silence; with eyes shut and focus on a normal calm breathing. The acupuncturist will not be in the room during treatment. After 40 minutes the respondents remove the needles and put them in a box suited for disposed needles. If needed, assistance to remove needles will be given from the acupuncturist.

OTHER

cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) group will receive manual based sessions for sleeping disorders. The group meets once a week during six weeks according to following program: Session 1 - introduction, self-help concept Session 2 - biology of sleep, sleep restriction, Session 3 - stimulus control Session 4 - visualization as relaxation, Session 5 - how to deal with negative and automatic thoughts, Session 6 - how to solve problems, planning for the future

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Uppsala University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Agneta Markström, MD, PhD · Uppsala University Hospital

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

75 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2012-12-31

Primary Completion

2015-04-30

Completion

2015-05-31

Countries

• Sweden

Study Locations