AURICULAR ELECTROACUPUNCTURE FOR FUNCTIONAL GASTROINTESTINAL DISORDERS: A PRELIMINARY STUDY AT THE DEPARTMENT OF TRADITIONAL MEDICINE, THONG NHAT HOSPITAL

Tóm tắt

This study was conducted to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and safety of electro-auricular acupuncture in the treatment of functional gastrointestinal disorders, as classified by Traditional Medicine. Thirty patients with digestive disorders were enrolled and received daily electro-auricular acupuncture for 14 consecutive days. Symptom severity was assessed at baseline D0, D7, and D14 using a standardized questionnaire. In the excess pattern group, a statistically significant improvement was observed in certain symptoms by day 7 (abdominal pain, p=0,04; borborygmus/bloating, p=0,008), with most symptoms showing marked reduction by day 14 (p<0,05). For the deficiency pattern group, most symptoms demonstrated significant improvement primarily at D14 (p<0,05); however, specific symptoms such as “sallow complexion/cold limbs” and “fatigue/poor appetite” showed improvement only at this later time point. The treatment was well-tolerated, and no serious adverse events were reported. Minor, self-limited side effects included pain at insertion (10%), mild bleeding (6,7%), and needle faint (3,3%). The findings suggest that electro-auricular acupuncture is an effective intervention for improving the symptoms of digestive disorders in both excess and deficiency patterns and possesses a favorable safety profile.