Relaxing Effects of Acupuncture, Sham Acupuncture or no Acupuncture, Given by Therapists Delivering Positive or Neutral Communication Regarding Expected Effects
Background: The communication between a patient and clinician may have significant effects on treatment outcomes and one likely mediator of the communication-related treatment effects is patient expectations, as demonstrated by placebo studies in various clinical domains. To investigate the link between patient-clinician interactions and patient expectancy in a clinical setting, acupuncture is suggested an effective method, as acupuncture is a procedure with known non-specific treatment components. As a scene for investigating the importance of expectations on treatment outcomes, the investigators used acupuncture for relaxation effects. It is commonly reported that participants experience a sense of relaxation during acupuncture treatment, yet, it is not known if the effects are related to the specific effects of needling or non-specific effects associated with the treatment procedure. Aim: To investigate if communication type (positive or neutral) about the expected treatment outcome affected i) participants' expectations, ii) short-term relaxation effects in response to genuine or sham acupuncture or to rest, and to investigate if treatment expectations were related to outcome. Procedure: Volunteers, i.e. Swedish individuals in general, not part of any specific patient group, are given written and oral study information and are screened for study criteria. The volunteers giving informed consent are randomized to one treatment session a´30 minutes with a) genuine acupuncture or b) sham acupuncture (telescopic non-penetrating needles). They are compared to a non-randomized reference group that receive no acupuncture, just 30 minutes of rest. Within the three groups, participants are randomized to 1) positive communication or 2) neutral communication from therapists, regarding expected treatment effects. Outcome measures: Visual analogue scales (VAS) (0-100 millimeter) measured treatment expectations and relaxation, at baseline two hours before the treatment session, pre treatment (directly before the treatment session) and post treatment (directly after the treatment session). Heart rate, blood pressure, and salivary cortisol are measured pre and post treatment. Primary endpoint is change in relaxation pre to post treatment.
NCT03441698 — Healthy Volunteers
Status: Completed
http://inclinicaltrials.com/healthy-volunteers/NCT03441698/
Clinical Effect of Acupuncture Technique for Restoring Consciousness Combined With Scalp Acupuncture on Post-stroke Dysphagia
This is a randomized controlled study, including post-stroke dysphagic patients. The participants were divided randomly into the experimental group and the control group. Both two groups were given routine treatment and swallowing rehabilitation training. Moreover, the experimental group was given Acupuncture Technique for Restoring Consciousness. Swallowing function will be compared before and after treatment.
NCT06328582 — Dysphagia
Status: Not yet recruiting
http://inclinicaltrials.com/dysphagia/NCT06328582/
The Effect of Acupuncture and Laser Acupuncture for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome-A 3-arm, Randomized Sham Laser Acupuncture Controlled Study
Acupuncture and laser acupuncture treatments have been proven to be effective and safe treatments for carpal tunnel syndrome(CTS). However, there is still a lack of direct comparative studies of acupuncture and laser acupuncture in the treatment of CTS. A 3-arm, randomized controlled study in acupuncture, laser acupuncture study and sham laser acupuncture therapy was designed for patient with carpal tunnel syndrome. The Glabal symptom score (GSS), Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BCTQ), neurophysiological study, morphological examination under ultrasonography will be evaluated before and after treatment. Comparison of therapeutic efficacy of acupuncture, laser acupuncture and sham laser acupuncture in the treatment of CTS will be explored.
NCT06201520 — Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Status: Enrolling by invitation
http://inclinicaltrials.com/carpal-tunnel-syndrome/NCT06201520/
Evaluating Efficacy and Safety of Combined Thread Embedding and Auricular Acupuncture in Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease With Liver Qi Invading Stomach Pattern: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is increasingly prevalent today. Proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) are the primary treatment, yet their effectiveness remains limited. Various acupuncture methods have shown promise in treating GERD. Among these, thread embedding acupuncture (TEA) and auricular acupuncture (AA) offer the advantage of prolonged treatment per intervention, significantly reducing healthcare visits for procedures, particularly beneficial for conditions requiring extended therapy. This has led to the widespread application of TEA and AA in GERD treatment. However, evidence supporting their effectiveness remains inconclusive. In this study, we aim to assess the efficacy and safety of combining TEA with AA for treating GERD. According to traditional medicine, treatment should be pattern-based. Thus, we will focus on patients exhibiting the Liver Qi Invading Stomach pattern, as reports indicate its prevalence among GERD patients.
NCT06157424 — GERD
Status: Completed
http://inclinicaltrials.com/gerd/NCT06157424/
Efficacy and Safety of Thread Embedding Acupuncture Combined With Auricular Acupuncture for Overweight and Obesity: Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial
Overweight and obesity are chronic non-communicable diseases with a rapidly increasing global prevalence. They constitute risk factors for various chronic conditions, including cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, cancer, as well as musculoskeletal disorders and numerous other disorders, significantly impacting the quality of life. Numerous non-pharmacological interventions have been employed in the management of these conditions. Particularly, Auricular acupuncture (AA) has been a widely used and established method for weight management, owing to its effectiveness, safety, and convenience. Recently, a novel therapy known as Thread embedding acupuncture (TEA) has also demonstrated efficacy in weight reduction. Several studies have shown a substantial increase in treatment effectiveness when combining TEA with other acupuncture therapies. However, there is currently no available data on the combination of TEA with AA. This study is conducted to assess the efficacy and safety of combining TEA with AA compared with AA monotherapy in overweight and obesity.
NCT06091761 — Overweight or Obesity
Status: Completed
http://inclinicaltrials.com/overweight-or-obesity/NCT06091761/
A Prospective Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial on the Comparison of Traditional Rehabilitation Protocol and Acupuncture-assisted Rehabilitation Protocol for Achilles Tendon Rupture
This prospective study is to compare the rehabilitation effect between the patients with achilles tendon rupture using traditional rehabilitation protocol and acupuncture-assisted rehabilitation protocol. The main question it aims to answer is whether acupuncture is an effective rehabilitation treatment. The patients are divided into the traditional rehabilitation group and acupuncture assisted rehabilitation group. The time of return to light sports activity and other indicators of the two groups will be compared.
NCT05957614 — Achilles Tendon Rupture
Status: Not yet recruiting
http://inclinicaltrials.com/achilles-tendon-rupture/NCT05957614/
Acupuncture Versus Sham Acupuncture and Neostigmine for the Management of Postoperative Urinary Retention
The goal of this study is to examine the efficacy of acupuncture in the management of acute postoperative urinary retention. Clinical question: Is acupuncture efficacious for postoperative urinary retention after hemorrhoidectomy compared with sham acupuncture and neostigmine. Study design: The participants who undergo hemorrhoidectomy and report postoperative urinary retention will receive one session of acupuncture or sham acupuncture or one injection of 1-mg neostigmine. The primary outcome was the time to first urination after surgery.
NCT05898919 — Postoperative Complications
Status: Completed
http://inclinicaltrials.com/postoperative-complications/NCT05898919/
Intradermal Acupuncture Versus Sham Acupuncture and SSRI for Treating Adolescents With Major Depressive Disorder: a Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a prevalent mental illness characterised by influencing the health and quality of life of patients，often manifesting in individuals under the age of 18. It has been wildly confirmed that acupuncture alone or in combination with the applicable adjuvant therapy for MDD can not only relieve patients' physical symptoms, but also enhance sleep quality. Intradermal acupuncture, as an acceptable and long-lasting treatment modality, is the focus of this research. This study was conducted to investigate the efficacy of intradermal acupuncture in the treatment of MDD.
NCT05832619 — Major Depressive Disorder
Status: Recruiting
http://inclinicaltrials.com/major-depressive-disorder/NCT05832619/
Convergence of Acupuncture and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation(tDCS) Rehabilitation Effect on Motor Function of Patients of Acute Stroke
The purpose of this study is to confirm the convergence effectiveness of on acupuncture of the chinese medicine and the tDCS of the western medicine on motor function for patients with acute stroke compared to the control group.
NCT05648162 — Stroke, Acute
Status: Recruiting
http://inclinicaltrials.com/stroke-acute/NCT05648162/
Effects of Conventional Versus Acupuncture-like TENS on Pain Threshold and Brain Activities in Healthy Adults
The purpose of this study was to understand the effects of conventional versus acupuncture-like TENS on pain threshold, brain activities, and their relationships.
NCT05587140 — Electroencephalography
Status: Recruiting
http://inclinicaltrials.com/electroencephalography/NCT05587140/