Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies
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Focus Alternat Complement Ther©2005 Pharmaceutical Press
Focus Altern Complement Ther 1998; 3: 180
The variety of therapy concepts used in the treatment of whiplash injuries is able to remove the symptoms within a few weeks in the most cases but some others suffer from the chronic pain syndrome with the characteristic tension-like headache over years. This prospective and randomised study tried to evaluate the benefit of an adjuvant needle as well as soft-laser acupuncture therapy on the acute and chronic complaints.
The patients of group 1 (control group, n = 33) were treated with a cervical collar and a combination of Chlormezanon and Paracetamol (Trancopal compositum®). In addition, in the patients of group 2 (study group, n = 28) the acupuncture points T.B. 5 (Wai Kuan) and S.I. 6 (Yang Ku) were needled. In group 3 (n = 23) patients underwent an adjuvant laser-acupuncture treatment and in group 4 (n = 22) an adjuvant placebo-laser-acupuncture.
In the group 2 a significant improvement in the range of motion and a reduction of the duration of acute complaints and drug intake (8,4 vs. 9,3 days) could be found. As a result the period of sick-leave was reduced by nearly 5 days and the incidence of chronic complaints was found significantly decreased. The other groups showed no significant differences.
While needle acupuncure seems to be effective in the treatment of whiplash injuries laser-acupunture showed no significant effects.
