The Medical Acupuncture Web Page
Charisios N. Karanikiotis MD and Phil Rogers MRCVS
Greek VersionContact HomeDo short courses on Acupuncture - Pain Management provoke changes in pain patient management?
A Pilot Study by Simon Strauss M.D. for Continuing Medical Acupuncture Education.General practitioners were asked to fill out a formal assessment survey of 10 pain related consultations before attendance at a forty hour Pain Management - Acupuncture seminar. The assessment form was designed by Simon Strauss in conjunction with the RACGP. On return to their practices the attendees were asked to repeat the process.
The results of the pre and post attendance assessments were then analysed and seemed to show changes in pain patient management including less referrals, scripts issued and investigations ordered following attendance. Along with increased utilisation of Acupuncture treatment and pain assessment tools. The results have been presented below.
Results
Before Course Attendance
129 pain related consultations.
| Breakdown of referrals | Number |
| Physiotherapist | 48 = 37% |
| Orthopaedic surgeon | 28 = 22% |
| Rheumatologist | 13 = 10% |
| Physician | 13 = 10% |
| Counselling | 5 = 4% |
| Neurologist | 4 = 3% |
| Pain consultant | 3 |
| Rehabilitation | 2 |
| Psychologist | 1 |
| Psychiatrist | 1 |
| Breakdown of Investigations | Number |
| X-Ray | 66 = 51% |
| CT | 20 = 16% |
| MRI | 9 = 7% |
| Serology | 16 = 12% |
| Breakdown of scripts | Number |
| Analgesics one or more | 129 |
| NSAI one or more | 68 |
| Tricyclics one or more | 32 |
| Steroids one or more | 9 |
| Other | 29 |
| Breakdown of treatment | Number |
| Acupuncture | 43 = 33% |
| Re-education | 21 |
| TNS | 15 |
| Hypnosis | 6 |
| Nerve block | 6 |
| Other: exercise / mobilisation etc | 11 |
| Pain Diagram | 10 = 8% |
| VAS | 12 |
| McGill | 3 |
2 patients had VAS and McGill. 25 tools used per 129.
Post Course Attendance
57 Pain related consultations.
| Physiotherapist | 12 = 21% |
| Orthopaedic surgeon | 2 = 4% |
| Rheumatologist | 1 = 2% |
| Physician | 3 = 5% |
| Counselling | 1 = 2% |
| Neurologist | 4 = 2% |
| Pain consultant | 0 |
| Rehabilitation | 0 |
| Psychologist | 0 |
| Psychiatrist | 0 |
| Breakdown of Investigations | Number |
| X-Ray | 24 = 42% |
| CT | 1 = 2% |
| IVP | 2 = 4% |
| Serology | 5 = 9% |
| Breakdown of scripts | Number |
| Analgesics one or more | 29 |
| NSAI one or more | 15 |
| Tricyclics one or more | 1 |
| Steroids one or more | 2 |
| Other | 3 |
| Breakdown of treatment | Number |
| Acupuncture | 49 = 86% |
| Re-education | 4 |
| TNS | 0 |
| Hypnosis | 2 |
| Nerve block | 1 |
| Other: exercise / mobilisation etc | 3 |
| Pain Diagram | 10 = 18% |
| VAS | 12 |
| McGill | 3 |
| Pre-attendance Whole group |
Post-attendance | |
| Referral rate as a % | 91% | 33% |
| Investigation rate as a % | 86% | 61% |
| Scripts per consult. | 2.2 | 0.88 |
| Acupuncture Rx | 33% | 86% |
| Pain Assessment tools | 19% | 44% |
| Pre-attendance second response group* |
Post-attendance | |
| Referral rate as a % | 82% | 33% |
| Investigation rate as a % | 92% | 61% |
| Scripts per consult. | 1.3 | 0.88 |
| Acupuncture Rx | 51% | 86% |
| Pain Assessment tools | 19% | 44% |
As can be seen from the tables and graphs above marked changes in General Practitioner's pain patient management have followed attendance at a Continuing Medical Acupuncture Education Basic Acupuncture - Pain Management seminar. These include marked decreases in referral rates, script generation and investigations in conjunction with a marked increase of Acupuncture utilisation and a smaller increase in the usage of pain assessment tools.
It would appear that our educational objectives are being met.
A fuller study of Continuing Medical Acupuncture Education's seminar attendees will be attempted in October.
For futher information contact Simon Strauss Telephone (07) 55 313810, Fax (07) 55 326199. 31 Charlton Street, Southport. 4215.