An Audit of the Effectiveness of Acupuncture in a Physical Medicine Rehabilitation Clinic

Abstract

This is an audit of 784 patients having received acupuncture treatment in a Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Clinic of a private hospital in İstanbul between June 2017-September 2019. Methods: Mean age of patients was 40.6 (SD:13.1). 72% were women. The mean number of acupuncture sessions were 4.3 (SD 2.3). Since many patients received acupuncture treatment for more than one diagnosis, evaluations were determined for the total number of 1091 treatments/cases. There were a total of 46 diagnosis, but then grouped as in 10 main parts. The cases according to frequency were ; Back pain (19.7%), neck pain(18%),3- dorsal strain(12.7%), fibromyalgia and anxiety disorders (8.5%), shoulder pain (7.9%), obesity(6.9%), migraine and tension headache (4.5%), ankle-foot pain, and epin calcaneiheel spur(4.5%), knee pain(4.3%),calf pain 32 (2.9%), and others(10.1%). As measuring outcomes, pain level was scored on a Visual Analog Scale(VAS) at the start, and after 3-4 days from the end of sessions. From the difference of VAS, a percentage improvement was calculated. The outcomes for 1091 treatments/cases were: 10 % nil-no improvement; 13% patients minimal (33-50% of improvement); 5% moderate (33-50% improvement); 41% (449) good (51-80% improvement ) ; and 31% (336) excellent (81-100% improvement). The overall success rate was 72%, which corresponded to >%50 improvement (‘excellent+good’). The highest success rates were seen in migraine and tension headache(82%), knee pain(81%), fibromyalgia and anxiety disorders(80%) , ankle sprains/foot pain and heel spur(80 %). Conclusion: The high success rates in the audit can be due to the appropriate selection of patients and the fact that PMR clinic is a more specialized one. The audit allowed me to identify the categories which acupuncture had higher success rates.