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Related Experiment Videos

Acupuncture for posttraumatic stress disorder: a randomized controlled pilot trial.

Michael Hollifield1, Nityamo Sinclair-Lian, Teddy D Warner

  • 1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Family and Geriatric Medicine, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY 40202, USA.

The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease
|June 15, 2007
PubMed
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Acupuncture shows significant efficacy in reducing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, comparable to cognitive-behavioral therapy. These PTSD symptom improvements were sustained at 3-month follow-up, suggesting acupuncture as a viable treatment option.

Area of Science:

  • Psychiatry and Behavioral Science
  • Integrative Medicine
  • Clinical Psychology

Background:

  • Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating condition with significant public health implications.
  • Existing treatments for PTSD, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), are effective but not universally accessible or suitable for all patients.
  • There is a need for alternative, non-exposure-based therapeutic options for PTSD management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy and acceptability of acupuncture as a treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
  • To compare acupuncture treatment (ACU) with group cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and a wait-list control (WLC) for PTSD symptoms.

Main Methods:

  • Randomized controlled trial design involving participants diagnosed with PTSD.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Intervention groups included empirically developed acupuncture (ACU), group cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and a wait-list control (WLC).
  • Primary outcome measured self-reported PTSD symptoms using repeated measures MANOVA at baseline, end of treatment, and 3-month follow-up.

    • Main Results:

    • Acupuncture demonstrated large treatment effects for PTSD symptoms compared to the wait-list control (Cohen's d = 1.29, p < 0.01).
    • The magnitude of treatment effect for acupuncture was similar to that of group CBT (Cohen's d = 1.42).
    • Symptom reductions achieved with both acupuncture and CBT were maintained at the 3-month follow-up assessment.

    Conclusions:

    • Acupuncture may serve as an efficacious and acceptable non-exposure treatment for individuals with PTSD.
    • The findings support acupuncture as a potential therapeutic option for PTSD, warranting further investigation.
    • Larger clinical trials are recommended to confirm these results and explore additional therapeutic modalities.