Efficacy and safety of acupuncture for pain relief: a systematic review and meta-analysis

ObjectiveThis study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of traditional acupuncture for pain relief based on rigorously designed RCTs with double-blind. The findings seek to provide valuable insights for clinical practice and inform future research.MethodsA literature search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases for randomized controlled trials on traditional acupuncture for pain management using a double-blind design, published from database inception to November 22, 2023. The Risk of Bias 2 (RoB2) tool was used to assess potential biases in the included studies, followed by a comprehensive analysis to evaluate efficacy and safety.ResultsThe findings show a significant positive effect on pain improvement, evidenced by changes in visual analog scale scores (mean difference 0.97 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.66-1.27]). Safety analysis showed no significant differences in adverse reactions between the acupuncture and control groups (relative risk 1.40 [95% CI 0.52-3.74]), with no serious adverse effects reported.ConclusionTraditional acupuncture is effective and safe in pain management. This suggests that acupuncture can be a valuable approach in clinical practice. Future studies should explore optimal treatment durations and frequency, using larger sample sizes for more comprehensive insights.