Self-acupressure fails to beat sham treatment for cancer-therapy joint pain
Daily self-acupressure did not relieve joint pain more than sham pressure in women taking aromatase inhibitors for breast cancer. Pain declined in both groups during the small randomized trial, but the difference was not significant. The single peer-reviewed study tested a specific pressure routine, with participant withdrawals and no untreated comparison group limiting interpretation.
Science··Morning
Pain declined without a significant group difference
Daily self-acupressure failed to outperform sham pressure for joint pain associated with aromatase inhibitors, medicines used against hormone-sensitive breast cancer. In the single peer-reviewed randomized trial, the true-treatment group’s mean worst-pain score reached 4.32 after 12 weeks, compared with 5.12 initially. The sham group’s corresponding score was 4.87, down from an initial 5.71. The between-group difference was not significant.[1]
Participants learned a daily pressure routine remotely
The trial enrolled 50 women; 48 began treatment after 2 withdrawals before baseline assessment. Participants received videos and a pressure device. The true regimen applied pressure to 9 recognized points for 3 minutes each day, while the comparison used nearby locations. Participants and most study staff did not know the assigned treatment.[1]
Eligibility required new or worsening pain after starting the medication and a minimum worst-pain score of 4, with 10 as the scale’s maximum. Exclusion criteria covered painful bone metastases and inflammatory arthritis. The evaluation focused on treatment-associated symptoms.[1]
Withdrawals reduced the final comparison
Eleven starters left before the final assessment. No participant experienced a serious adverse event. A single mild bruise resolved when the applied pressure was adjusted. The small sample and absence of an untreated group limit interpretation: improvement cannot be separated into natural fluctuations, expectations, attention during the trial and pressure itself.[1]
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