Acupuncture Plus Fire Needle and Acupuncture on Lateral Epicondylitis

NCT03820856 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 43

Last updated 2019-01-29

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

The aim of this study was to investigate whether or not the outcomes of acupuncture used in combination with fire needle treatment are better than those of acupuncture alone in patients with lateral epicondylitis.

The primary outcome was the visual analog scale pain score for the previous 24 hours and the secondary outcomes were the maximum grip strength, Patient-rated Forearm Evaluation Questionnaire score, and Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-form Health Survey score. The values at baseline (pretreatment), at the end of treatment, and at three months after treatment were used to assess the short-term and intermediate-term effects of treatment.

Conditions

  • Lateral Epicondylitis
  • Tennis Elbow
  • Acupuncture

Interventions

PROCEDURE

acupuncture plus fire needle therapy

The protocol used in this group was the same as that used in the acupuncture alone group except that fire needle therapy was added. The treatments were administered twice weekly for 6 weeks. Fire needle therapy was performed as follows: an acupuncture needle made of tungsten was heated until red-hot over a lighter and then inserted into the two Ah shi points (the tender points on the common extensor tendon, specifically extensor carpi radialis). The red-hot needle was inserted rapidly into the Ah shi point (approximately 5-8 fen deep, 1 cun = 10 fen) for approximately half a second and then removed. Pressure was then applied to the needle hole using a sterilized dry cotton ball.

PROCEDURE

acupuncture

We selected acupoints that have often been recommended for the treatment of lateral epicondylitis. Triple needling was performed at the Ah shi point, i.e., the 1-2-cm area encompassing the most painful spot on the humeral epicondyle. We also manipulated acupuncture needles in the following areas: LI10 (Shousanli), LI11 (Quchi), LI12 (Zhouliao) and LU5 (Chize). The treatments were administered twice weekly for 6 weeks.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Chang Gung Memorial Hospital

    lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2010-08-05
Primary Completion
2011-03-18
Completion
2011-03-18

Countries

  • Taiwan

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT03820856 on ClinicalTrials.gov