Battlefield Acupuncture for the Treatment of Low Back Pain in the Emergency Department

Completed · Phase 1/Phase 2

Conditions studied: Low Back Pain

In brief

The purpose of this study is to study acupuncture for the treatment of low back pain in the emergency department. Current treatments for low back pain in the emergency department generally include pills or injections of medications to treat pain and relax muscles. However, it is known that many of these medications have risks and toxicities which may limit their safe use in some patients. Therefore, new types of treatments are needed. Acupuncture is an ancient form of healing that has been practiced in some form for centuries. In modern times, acupuncture has been studied for the long-term treatment of low back pain and some research suggests it may be effective. However, very little research has examined the use of acupuncture for immediate pain relief in the emergency department. This research will study a type of acupuncture called Battlefield Acupuncture (BFA). Battlefield acupuncture was designed by a physician in the US military with the purpose of providing immediate pain relief. It involves the placement of 5 small needles in each ear. The needles may be removed at any time. The hypothesis of this study is that battlefield acupuncture may improve mobility and pain of patients with low back pain in the emergency department.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT02399969

Run by

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

People needed

30

Starts

2015-03-01

Expected to finish

2016-04-01

Last updated by the study team

2016-05-05

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• adult
• English-speaking participants
• over the age of 18
• come to the emergency department with the chief complaint of low back pain.

You may not qualify if…

• any focal neurological deficit
• prior back surgery, acute trauma,
• new weakness
• new loss bowel/bladder control
• back pain above T12
• receiving coumadin or plavix
• Pregnancy. Female patients will be offered pregnancy testing which they can elect to take.
• Temperature >38C,
• positive urinalysis (UTI or pregnancy). Urinalysis will not be requested if not deemed clinically relevant by the treating team, as this may delay patient care and discharge.

Where it is running

• Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai — New York, New York, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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