Completed
A Controlled Trial of Acupuncture for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Led by George Washington University · Updated on 2013-05-15
144
Participants Needed
N/A
Research Sites
N/A
Total Duration
On this page
Sponsors
G
George Washington University
Lead Sponsor
N
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
Collaborating Sponsor
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
This study will look at the effectiveness of acupuncture for treating carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). People who participate in this study will have CTS that has been diagnosed by physical examination and neurological testing. We will randomly assign study participants to receive one of the three types of acupuncture either once, twice, or three times weekly for a total of 6 weeks. Acupuncturists will treat one group of patients with true acupuncture. They will give the other two groups of patients one of two alternative acupuncture treatments that do not use the true acupuncture points. The patients and evaluators will not know the type of acupuncture (True, Alternative 1, or Alternative 2) that is being used. The acupuncturists will not communicate with the patients and will not be involved in patient evaluation.
CONDITIONS
Official Title
Acupuncture for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- 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
You will not qualify if you...
- 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 Site Locations
Site Locations not provided
Location information for this trial is currently unavailable.
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
DOUBLE
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Model
PARALLEL
Primary Purpose
TREATMENT
Number of Arms
0
Similar Trials
Not the Right Trial for You?
Explore thousands of other clinical trials that might be a better match.
Sign up to get personalized trial recommendations delivered to your inbox.
Already have an account? Log in here