Acupuncture effective in alleviating chronic dizziness

Acupuncture effective in alleviating chronic dizziness

Acupuncture can be effective in alleviating dizziness and improving mood, sleep and overall quality of life in patients experiencing chronic dizziness. A study by Chinese investigators randomised 100 patients being treated for chronic subjective dizziness to either a conventional acupuncture group or a shallow acupuncture control group. Acupuncture treatment was aimed at expelling phlegm and raising yang, using acupoints Baihui DU-20, Yintang M-HN-3, Taiyang M-HN-9, Tinggong SI-19, Wangu SI-12, Fengchi GB-20, Hegu L.I.-4, Fenglong ST-40 and Taichong LIV-3. Shallow acupuncture was carried out at the same points, with needles inserted only 1-2 mm deep at each point. Ultrasound was used to confirm the depth of needle insertion in both groups. Treatment was carried out for 30 minutes, once per day at a frequency of two sessions a week, for a total of 4 weeks. Outcomes measured included clinical efficacy, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Vestibular Disability Scale (DHI), Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), and Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) scores, assessed before and after treatment. The frequency of adverse effects was also compared between the groups. The conventional acupuncture group demonstrated a significantly higher overall effectiveness rate (94%) compared with the shallow acupuncture group (80%). Both groups showed significant improvements in DHI, HAMA, HAMD, FSS and PSQI scores post-treatment, however, the improvements were more pronounced in the conventional acupuncture group. Adverse reaction rates were also significantly lower in the conventional acupuncture group (48%) compared with the shallow acupuncture group (68%). (Clinical Efficacy of Ultrasound-Guided Acupuncture in the Treatment of Chronic Subjective Dizziness. Altern Ther Health Med. 2024 Oct;30(10):398-403).

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38401072/