To determine the efficacy of auricular point acupressure (APA) in older adults with chronic low back pain (cLBP), specifically measuring pain and function outcomes.
Key Findings:
T-APA group showed significant pain improvement at postintervention and 1-month follow-up compared to control (P ≤ .001).
NT-APA group achieved similar pain improvements (P values to be specified).
Function improvements were significant for both APA groups at postintervention and 6-month follow-up (P values to be specified).
Responder rates for pain and function were higher in both APA groups compared to control (odds ratio ranged from 2.11 to 6.32).
Interpretation:
Auricular point acupressure significantly improves pain and function in older adults with chronic low back pain, with effects sustained at 6 months, suggesting its potential as a viable treatment option.
Limitations:
The study did not include control group data after reassignment to prevent bias, which may limit the interpretation of results.
The sample may not be representative of all older adults with cLBP, potentially affecting the generalizability of findings.
Conclusion:
APA is recommended as a nonpharmacologic therapy for older adults with chronic low back pain, which may influence future treatment guidelines.
by Jennifer Kawi, Chao Hsing Yeh, Nada Lukkahatai, Hulin Wu, Natalia E Morone, Ronald Glick, Elizabeth A Schlenk, Claudia Campbell, Johannes Thrul, Xinran Huang, Hongyu Wang, Hejingzi Monica Jia, Paul Christo, Constance Johnson
