A study published by the British Medical Journal shows that acupuncture outperforms counselling and usual care, in patients who have depression complicated by pain. This follows from a secondary analysis of the study data arising out of the research detailed on 21 January 2014 below.
A total of 755 patients recruited through GP practices across northern England, were randomised to receive acupuncture (302 patients), counselling (302 patients) or usual care alone (151 patients). Patients’ assessment of their pain and general wellbeing revealed that those with moderate to extreme pain were doing better after three months if they received acupuncture compared with those who received either counselling or usual care.
(Acupuncture, counselling or usual care for depression and comorbid pain: secondary analysis of a randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open, May 2014.)