Efficacy of abdominal acupuncture for neck pain: A randomized controlled trial
Ho LF, Lin ZX, Leung WN et al. · PLOS One · 2017 July 17
DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0181360
Objective
This study aims to provide evidence regarding the clinical efficacy of abdominal acupuncture for neck pain.
Conclusions
Among adult patients with neck pain, abdominal acupuncture resulted in significantly greater improvements in functional performance, neck pain intensity, and some health-related quality of life measures than sham abdominal acupuncture. Abdominal acupuncture was superior to sham abdominal acupuncture in alleviating the intensity of and disability due to neck pain and improving the quality of life in patients with neck pain. These findings suggest that abdominal acupuncture is an effective treatment alternative for patients with neck pain.
Critical Appraisal
Published research can offer valuable insights, but a paper’s conclusions may go beyond what its results support. Critical appraisal examines the methods, findings and limitations to clarify what can reasonably be concluded—and what remains uncertain.
This article has not yet been critically appraised by the Research Hub.
Learn more about Critical Appraisal