The following is a summary of “Wrist and ankle acupuncture relief moderate to severe postoperative pain after functional endoscopic sinus surgery: A randomized controlled study,” published in the June 2024 issue of Pain by Guo, et al.

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to assess whether Wrist and Ankle Acupuncture (WAA) could effectively reduce moderate to severe postoperative pain after Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS).

They randomly allocated participants into two groups: a treatment group (n = 57) and a control group (n = 58). The treatment group received WAA treatment, whereas the control group underwent sham acupuncture. The Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) was used to measure postoperative pain and assess both groups’ sleep efficiency, rescue medication usage, and AEs.

The results showed a significant immediate reduction in NRS scores in the treatment group (P<.01). Pain intensity was lower at 2, 4, 8, 22, and 24 hours post-first treatment in the WAA group compared to the control group (P<.01). Additionally, the WAA group showed higher sleep efficiency the night after surgery (P<.01). The mean number of rescue tablets used was significantly lower in the WAA group than in the control group (P<.01). No SAEs occurred in either group, and all AEs resolved within 3 days.

Investigators found that WAA significantly reduced discomfort from nasal packing after FESS and improved sleep quality the following night, suggesting its potential as a safe and effective pain management tool due to the use of superficial acupoints.

Source: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/20494637241264941