JAMA Intern Med

Acupuncture effective for sciatica pain: Randomized trial results

October 17, 2024

Among patients with chronic sciatica due to disk herniation, acupuncture alleviated pain and improved function compared with sham acupuncture at week 4; benefits persisted through week 52. Authors urge consideration of acupuncture as a potential treatment option for patients with chronic sciatica from a herniated disk.

In this multicenter, randomized trial conducted at 6 tertiary-level hospitals in China, patients with chronic sciatica due to a herniated disk were recruited between March and September 2021, and followed through September 2022. Participants were randomly assigned to receive 10 sessions of acupuncture (n = 110) or sham acupuncture (n = 110) over a 4-week period. Coprimary outcomes were changes in visual analog scale (VAS) for leg pain and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) from baseline to week 4.

A total of 216 patients (mean age, 51.3 years; 68.1% female) were included in the analyses. Decrease in VAS for leg pain at week 4 was 30.8 mm in the acupuncture group vs. 14.9 mm in the sham acupuncture group (mean difference, −16.0; 95% CI, −21.3 to −10.6; P < 0.001). Decrease in ODI at week 4 was 13.0 points in the acupuncture group vs. 4.9 points in the sham acupuncture group (mean difference, −8.1; 95% CI, −11.1 to −5.1; P < 0.001). Between-group difference for both VAS and ODI became apparent in week 2 and persisted through week 52. No serious adverse events were reported.

Source:

Tu JF, et al. (2024, October 14). JAMA Intern Med. Acupuncture vs Sham Acupuncture for Chronic Sciatica From Herniated Disk: A Randomized Clinical Trial. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39401008/