Review of acupuncture to treat alcohol dependence
Acupuncture has been used in the treatment of substance-related disorders for the past 30 years.
Researchers at Kyung Hee University Medical Center, in Seoul, Korea, reviewed the evidence.
First, the details.
- 11 studies in 1,110 people were systematically reviewed.
- Only 2 of 11 studies were of high quality.
And, the results.
- 4 studies of acupuncture vs sham treatments reported data for alcohol craving.
- 3 studies reported no significant differences.
- 4 trials compared acupuncture and no acupuncture to conventional therapies
- 3 reported significant reductions.
- No differences between acupuncture and sham treatments were found for completion rates.
- There were also no differences between acupuncture and no acupuncture.
- Only 3 studies reported acupuncture-related side effects, which were mostly minimal.
The bottom line?
The authors concluded, “The results of the included studies were equivocal.”
After 30 years we should expect more.
4/13/10 21:06 JR