Effectiveness of Filiform Needle Acupuncture and Long Needle Acupuncture in Managing Periarthritis of the Shoulder: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Objectives: Periarthritis of the shoulder (PAS) affects 2-5% of the population and results in significant morbidity. This study evaluates the effectiveness of long needle acupuncture compared to filiform needle acupuncture in managing PAS, with a focus on pain relief and improved range of motion (ROM). Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 60 PAS patients who were randomly assigned to receive either long-needle acupuncture (treatment group) or filiform needle acupuncture (control group). Patients in the treatment group received long-needle acupuncture, while those in the control group received filiform needle acupuncture. Both groups underwent 14 treatment sessions over two weeks. The primary outcome was pain reduction measured by the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Secondary outcomes included improvements in shoulder abduction, internal rotation, and external rotation. Results: Post-treatment comparative analysis showed no improvement difference in pain scores between the two groups (p = 0.02) after the Bonferroni adjustment. Specifically, the treatment group exhibited a decrease from 5.9 to 0.9 (p < 0.001), while the control group decreased from 5.5 to 2.2 (p < 0.001). The treatment group experienced more significant improvements in ROM compared to the control group (p < 0.001 for all). Conclusion: Long-needle acupuncture is as effective as filiform needle acupuncture in managing pain from PAS, but long-needle acupuncture offers better improvements in ROM compared to filiform needle acupuncture. These findings support its integration into PAS treatment regimens, particularly for enhancing functional mobility.

Keywords

• acupuncture
• filiform needle
• frozen shoulder
• long needle
• periarthritis of the shoulder
• range of motion