Acupuncture use for pain after traumatic brain injury: a NIDILRR Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems cohort study.
Mark D Sodders, Aaron M Martin, Jennifer Coker and 2 others
PMID 36998180WHAT IT FOUND
Among 1,064 people with chronic pain after traumatic brain injury, 19.5% used acupuncture.
Users were more often White, married, higher income, and military veterans. Pain severity and function were similar between users and non-users, though users reported more pain sites.
Key findings
01Nearly one in five people with chronic pain after traumatic brain injury reported using acupuncture, with users differing significantly from non-users in race, education, region, military status, and insurance.
02Acupuncture users reported a higher average number of pain sites (5.1) compared to non-users (3.5), despite having similar pain intensity, interference, and functional independence scores.
03The study design cannot determine if acupuncture improved pain outcomes, as it did not collect data on treatment timing, frequency, or duration.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The cross-sectional design means the study cannot determine cause and effect; it does not show whether acupuncture improved pain or if people with more pain sought acupuncture. Data on the specifics of acupuncture treatment (frequency, duration, timing) were not collected, making it impossible to judge if patients received a clinically meaningful dose. Participants self-reported acupuncture use, and some may have confused it with dry needling, potentially leading to misclassification. The sample was limited to individuals able to respond to surveys independently, excluding those with severe cognitive impairments who might have different pain experiences or treatment access.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest. The study was funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR).
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the similar pain intensity scores as evidence that acupuncture is ineffective or effective. The study did not measure treatment dosage or timing, so it cannot assess the clinical impact of acupuncture on pain outcomes.