The effect of acupuncture on the acute withdrawal symptoms from rapid opiate detoxification

Rapid Opiate Detoxification (ROD) is among the best treatments for substance abuse. Unfortunately this method is associated with severe withdrawal reaction. The effect of body acupuncture has not been clearly identified during ROD. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of acupuncture on the severity of withdrawal reaction during ROD.

Forty adult male subjects addicted to opioids and scheduled for ROD by naloxone were randomly divided into acupuncture and control groups. In the acupuncture group during three consecutive days immediately before induction of ROD, body acupuncture was performed while in the control group it was exempted. Severity of withdrawal reaction was assessed having recourse to Clinical Institute Narcotic Assessment (CINA) Score and compared between two groups.

After induction of ROD, CINA score raised significantly during the consecutive days in both groups compared with baseline values but the rise was significantly lower in acupuncture group.

The result of this study shows that body acupuncture reduces the severity of withdrawal symptoms associated with rapid opiate detoxification and it is recommended that this nonpharmacologic method of treatment should be included in ROD program.