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In patients with cold hypersensitivity in the hands and feet, both acupuncture and electroacupuncture improve symptoms and quality of life, with electroacupuncture providing longer-lasting benefits.
The findings of a recent study supported the use of electroacupuncture (EA) and acupuncture (AC) as non-pharmacological therapeutic options for cold hypersensitivity in the hands and feet (CHHF). The goal was to examine the utility of EA and AC for CHHF (also known as hyperesthesia) care. This study was conducted with 72 women (aged between 19 and 59 years) diagnosed with CHHF.
Volunteers were randomly divided into EA, AC, and control groups. The study measured outcomes like hand and feet visual analog scale (VAS) scores, changes in temperature (recorded via a non-contact thermometer), and World Health Organization Quality of Life-Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF) scores. These outcomes were assessed at 3 time points: pre-treatment (T0), post-treatment (T1), and follow-up (T2). Statistical analysis, including repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) and 2-way mixed-model ANOVA, were employed.
In this randomized controlled trial, both EA and AC groups demonstrated positive results in VAS and WHOQOL-BREF scores at T1 as opposed to the control group. The EA group continued these benefits at T2, with notable reductions in foot VAS and improvements in WHOQOL-BREF domains. Interaction effects revealed that the betterments in the EA and AC groups were much greater than in the control group. The control group also experienced a major VAS score reduction at follow-up, likely due to natural symptom fluctuations and psychological factors.
This study concluded that both EA and AC improve CHHF symptoms and quality of life, with EA offering longer-lasting effects, potentially by regulating the autonomic nervous system. These results support the use of non-pharmacological treatments for CHHF and provide clinical guidance for EA and AC.
Plos One
Effectiveness of electroacupuncture and acupuncture in alleviating cold hypersensitivity in the hands and feet: A randomized controlled trial
Na-Yoen Kwon et al.
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