Acupuncture for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Launched by GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · Nov 3, 1999

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This is a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial of acupuncture for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). The study's aims are: (1) To show that we can develop a "single-blind mute" methodology that will enable true and alternative acupuncture to be given in a standardized and unbiased fashion. (2) To identify and standardize the most appropriate invasive control (alternative) acupuncture points for CTS. (3) To develop a manual of acupuncture methods that codifies the techniques of administration of true and alternative points that can be used at any site performing a randomized clinical trial ...

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Hand or wrist pain combined with parathesias or numbness in any or all fingers, predominating in a median nerve distribution, and especially occurring at night
• • Symptoms unresponsive or poorly responsive to standard conservative therapy (wrist splints, analgesics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs)
• • Electrodiagnostic evidence of distal median neuropathy compatible with carpal tunnel syndrome (to be confirmed at study site)
• • Symptoms present for at least 3 months
• • No prior treatment with acupuncture for carpal tunnel syndrome
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Evidence of pronounced abductor pollicis weakness or significant thenar wasting (probable candidate for carpal tunnel surgery)
• • Prior carpal tunnel surgery on affected side
• • Use of narcotic analgesia
• • History of wrist or hand fracture on the symptomatic limb
• • Current pregnancy or less than 3 months postpartum
• • Corticosteroid injection into the carpal tunnel within 3 months
• • History of generalized peripheral neuropathy or clinical or electrodiagnostic evidence of generalized polyneuropathy or mononeuropathy multiplex
• • History of other neurologic disorders which may cause confusion with the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome, including but not limited to stroke, cervical radiculopathy, myelopathy, subdural hematoma, brain tumor
• • Inflammatory articular disease or tendinitis of the hand or wrist by history or physical examination
• • Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
• • Clinical hypothyroidism
• • Chronic renal failure or renal dialysis or forearm fistulae
• • Other disorder known to predispose to carpal tunnel syndrome including acromegaly, multiple myeloma, amyloidosis

Trial Officials