Ear Acupuncture for Acute Sore Throat in Patients Unable to Take Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Agents (NSAIDs)

Mike O'Callaghan Military Hospital3 enrolled

Overview

The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of ear acupuncture alone in subjects with a contraindication to anti-inflammatory medications in the reduction of pain and hours lost from work in acute sore throat.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

Conditions

Acute Sore Throat

Interventions

Ear AcupunctureDEVICE

Ear acupuncture utilizes up to 10 needles (see figure 6). If at any point the subject decides not to continue with the placing of the needles, the acupuncture will cease and the number of points will be documented. The ear Acupuncture points on the right ear include Cingulate gyrus, thalamus, omega 2, shen-men, point zero. The ear Acupuncture points on the left ear include Cingulate gyrus, thalamus, omega 2, shen-men, point zero (see figures 1-5).

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion: * Male and female subjects (DoD beneficiaries), 18 years or older, with upper respiratory complaints and their primary symptom being acute sore throat. * Minimum pain score of 5 points on a 11 point scale (0-10 with 10 being the worst pain) The above with any one of the following: * Allergy to Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs) * History of significant gastrointestinal bleed * Previous documented history of stage 2 kidney disease or worse * History of gastric bypass surgery * Chronic oral steroids use Exclusion: * Absence of one or more ears * Known Pregnancy * Known Peritonsillar abscess (PTA) * Throat, mouth or esophageal cancer * Active cellulitis of ear * Ear anatomy precluding identification of acupuncture landmarks * Use of Hearing Aids that preclude the use of ear acupuncture * Non-English speaking

Locations (1)

Mike O'Callaghan Federal Hosptial

Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, United States

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Reduction in Pain on Numeric Pain Rating Scale

Does ear acupuncture alone significantly reduce pain in acute sore throat? Measured by reduction in pain on 0-10 (10 highest pain) numeric pain rating scale.

Time frame: initial, 15 minute post, 6 hours post, 24 hours post, 48 hours post

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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