Large Randomized Placebo Controlled Study of Auricular Acupuncture for Alcohol Dependence

• NCJ Number: 196132
• Journal: Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment Volume: 22 Issue: 2 Dated: March 2002 Pages: 71-77
• Author(s): Milton L. Bullock M.D.; Thomas J. Kiresuk Ph.D.; Robert E. Sherman Ph.D.; Scott K. Lenz M.S.H; Patricia D. Culliton M.A.; Tacey A. Boucher B.A.; Christopher J. Nolan
• Editor(s): A. Thomas McLellan Ph.D.
• Date Published: March 2002
• Length: 7 pages
• Grant Number(s): R01 AA09641; R01 AA09641-05S1
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health and Human Services; National Ctr on Minority Health and Health Disparities
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research Paper
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article discusses the potential impact of acupuncture treatment on alcohol abuse.

Abstract

The authors provide a general overview of the impact and costs of alcohol abuse and the research basis for acupuncture treatment of substance abuse, referencing early studies regarding the treatment of opium addiction. Research for the present study was gathered from 503 subjects participating in a single blind placebo trial. Research subjects received one of four possible treatment regimes: specific acupuncture, nonspecific acupuncture, symptom based acupuncture, or conventional treatment with no acupuncture. Acupuncture resulted in a reported decreased desire for alcohol in 49 percent of the research subjects, however, the alcohol use reduction found in subjects treated with acupuncture was not significantly greater than the reduction produced by other treatment types. Therefore, the authors found that the study did not provide support for recommending the addition of acupuncture to conventional alcohol abuse treatment regimes. 4 tables, figure, 19 references