Objectives: To evaluate clinical effects of auricular acupuncture treatments for pain based on a revised auricular mapping and diagnostic paradigm (RAMP-uP).
Design: Retrospective chart review.
Setting: A major US Veterans Affairs Medical Centre located in the Southeaster United States.
Main outcome measures: Pain and efficacy rating scores based on visual analogue scales during each clinical visit. Duration of acupuncture treatment effects based on clinic notes documentation.
Results: Patients' average pain score decreased by almost 60% (p<0.0001). The treatment effects lasted 1-3 months (47%). The overall efficacy reported by most patients was helpful (83.6%).
Conclusion: The observed clinical effects of auricular acupuncture based on RAMP-uP are promising. Further research is needed to assess its feasibility to generalize and generate clinical effects in randomized controlled clinical trials.
Keywords: Acupuncture; Auricular.
Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.