Press needle acupuncture improves clinical outcomes in hospitalised COVID patients

Press needle acupuncture improves clinical outcomes in hospitalised COVID patients

Adding press needle acupuncture to pharmacological treatment can improve clinical outcomes in patients hospitalised with COVID-19 infection, according to Chinese investigators. A total of 120 patients hospitalised with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 symptoms received pharmacological treatment alone (control group) or pharmacological treatment plus press needle acupuncture (intervention group). Patients in the intervention group received daily sessions of press needle acupuncture at unilateral Hegu L.I.-4, Quchi L.I.-11, Lieque LU-, Taiyuan LU-9, Dazhui DU-14, Guanyuan REN-4, Qihai REN-6 and Zusanli ST-36. At each session, press needles were inserted into acupoints on one side of the body and kept in place for approximately 24 hours. The following day, the needles were removed, and new press needles were placed on acupoints on the other side of the body. Patients in the control group received daily pharmacological treatment, including herbal granules (Lianhua Qingwen) plus ibuprofen for fever management. The treatment lasted for six days. Both groups experienced symptom improvement; however, the intervention group showed faster symptom regression and achieved nucleic acid test negativity more rapidly. Additionally, patients in the intervention group exhibited a lower rate of clinical deterioration compared to the control group. Biomarker analyses revealed that lymphocyte counts increased and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels decreased significantly more in the intervention group, suggesting improved immune response and reduced inflammation. (Utilizing press needle acupuncture to treat mild-to-moderate COVID-19: A single-blind, randomized controlled trial. Medicine (Baltimore). 2024 Oct 4;103(40):e39810).

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39465704/