Affiliations: [a] Clinical Biochemistry Department, Acupuncture Clinic, Gazi University Medical Faculty, Ankara, Turkey | [b] Anatomy Department, Gazi University Medical Faculty, Ankara, Turkey | [c] Clinical Biochemistry Department, Hacettepe University Medical Faculty, Ankara, Turkey
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Sevgin Ö. İşeri, Clinical Biochemistry Department, Hacettepe University Medical Faculty, Sıhhiye, Ankara, Turkey. Tel.: +90 312 305 16 54; Fax: +90 312 310 05 80; E-mail:sevginiseri@gmail.com
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: The most common disease of the older age group in Turkey is degenerative
articular disease and pain associated with the disease. Analgesics and
physical therapy are preferred treatment for geriatric chronic pain but
suffering from multiple medical and nutritional problems in old ages can
limit treatment options with analgesics due to an increased risk of adverse
effects and drug interactions. OBJECTIVES: We aim to show the effect of acupuncture on
back-pain and knee-pain treatment of elderly people. METHODS: The study includes 34 patients, 24 female and 8 male. The mean age was
69.0417 ± 8.95 years for females and 73.12 ± 8.95.24 years for males.
Every two days for a total of 10 sessions acupuncture treatment to Yintang,
Ht 7 (Shenmen), LI 4 (Hegu), Ki 3 (Taixi) and Ki 6 were found to
significantly reduce pain scores of patients. RESULTS: Mean back pain scores
(8.8696 ± 1.546) and mean knee pain scores (9.1304 ± 1.4239)
of patients were reduced significantly to 2.1739 ± 1.466 and 1.455 ±
0.7; p< 0.001 respectively after the acupuncture treatment. CONCLUSION: These are important results as they give rationale to use acupuncture
treatment widely in chronic low back pain and knee pain in the geriatric
group of patients to reduce the side effects of polypharmacy in elderly.
Keywords: Acupuncture, complementary therapy, low back pain, knee pain
