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Needle-free acupuncture benefits both patients and clinicians
Kyungeh An1, Yong Suk Kim, Hee Young Kim
1School of Nursing, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555-1029, USA. kyungan@utmb.edu
Objective:
This study examined whether a needle-free acupuncture can be an alternative to conventional needle injection acupuncture.
Methods:
Patients (n=101) suffering myofascial shoulder pain were randomly assigned to either needle-free or conventional needle injection acupuncture group. Bee venom was administered into GB21 (Gyeonjeong) acupuncture point for both groups.
Results:
Shoulder pain was significantly reduced by the treatment in both groups. Patients treated by needle-free acupuncture reported less anxiety, less discomfort and fewer adverse events. Clinicians reported that needle-free acupuncture was safe but not convenient due to the complexity of the device.
Discussion:
With appropriate adjustments of the current device, needle-free acupuncture can become an alternative to the conventional needle injection method.