2017 Volume 60 Issue 7 Pages 489-497
We examined the effects of acupuncture on the symptoms of diabetic peripheral neuropathy. The subjects in the present study included 19 patients with diabetes mellitus who had suffered from persistent abnormal sensations, such as numbness, pain, or other uncomfortable sensations in their foot for at least three months. Acupuncture was applied once a week for seven weeks (a total of seven treatments), electrical stimulation was also administered in the second to seventh treatments. The treatment points used were the bilateral GB34, LV3, SP9 and KI3. The mean (95 %CI) intensity of numbness, which was evaluated with a visual analogue scale (VAS), at baseline and at the end of the treatment period was 46.4 (36.7-56.1) and 24.7 (14.5-34.9) respectively (mean difference -22.0, 95 %CI, 10.6-33.5, p=0.001). The frequency of muscle clamp episodes was also reduced during the treatment period (p=0.045). The results suggest that acupuncture is a useful treatment for patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
