S361

EXPERIENCE WITH UNEXPLAINED OTALGIA. Anis Mekhamer* and Samy Elwany, Departments of Anaesthesia and Ear, Nose & Throat, Dr. Fakhry Hospital, Elkhobar, Saudi Arabia.

Aim of investigation: Otalgia or ear pain is a common complaint and one which can freauentlv be exvlained on the basis of ear examination (nrimarv otalgia). Sometimes it can't be and the sources of referred pain tb the ear (secondary otalgia) must be considered and sought to explain the pain. The group of unexplained otalgia is usually unaccompanied with the other symp- toms, recalcitrant to treatment and often regarded as manifestation of psychogenic disturbances. The present study presents our experience in unexplained otalgia and evaluating our treatment.

Methods: Ninety-six patients were entered into a placebo (mock TNS) vs. acupuncture therapy in a single randomized controlled study. Patients were randomly allocated to either acupuncture or mock (TNS) group using sealed envelopes containing cards defining the treatment group.

Results: Analysis of the data at the completion of the treatment session disclosed that the acupuncture response was significantly better than the placebo response both at 33% and the 50% pain relief criteria. A statis- tically significant difference between the two groups at the end of follow up was obtained.

Conclusion: It appears that the complaint of unexplained otalgia, like that of headache, is sensitive to placebo therapy but it is possible that acupuncture is 20-30% more effective than placebo. Further studies, however, are required to verify this assumption.

THE l?ltlEDlATE ANALBESIC EFFECT OF ACUPUNCTURE IN PAIN 693 Poster

OF CHRDNIC TENNIS ELBOW and the ACUPUNCTURE TREATMENT l__-_

Fri Room 3

OF CHRDNIC TENNIS ELBOW Board 16

AUTHORS: A. tlDLSBERBER*,E. HILLE”, K. P. SCHULITZ” ORTHOPAEDIC DEPARTMENT of the UNIYERSITY of DUESSELDORF, 4000 DUESSELDORF A. Aim of investigation: The immediate analgesic effect of acupuncture in pain of tennis elbow was studied in a placebo controlled double-blind trial. New recommendations concarning pain measaurement and pl#zbo therapy in acupuncture trials were considered

Method: All patients were split up at random into a verum- end a placebo group. Patients of the verum group were traated according to traditional Chinese acupuncture with specific distal points for elbow pain, patients of the placebo group were treated with suggestive ecupunctura without puncturing the skin with a needle. Before and after treatment all patients ware examined by an unbiased exeminetor. For pain meessurement Visual Analogue Scales were used.

Results:The trial was completed by 48 patients. After one sitting of acupuncture an immediate analgesic effect of et least 50% pain releave in pain of chronic tennis elbow was achieved in 19 out of 24 patients (79.2%) of the verum group (placebo group: 6 out of 24 patients (25%)). The average duration of analgesia lasted 20.2 hours in the verum group (placebo group: 1.4 hours). The results are statistically significant (p-O.0 1).

Cunclusiun: The trial gives evidence for a strong clinical analgesic effct of acupuncture significantly exceeding a placebo effect in pain of chronic tennis elbow. The trial gives an example of a clinical studie meeting modern scientific methodological and statistical stands&

B. In an uncontrolled trial the therapeutical relevance of acupuncture for long term treatment of chronic tennis elbow wes tested. After an average number of 12 acupuncture sittings per patient 22 patients out of 27 (Sl.SrS) of the treated patients felt no pain at all or had very much pain releave or h&I much pain relaave. Follow up: 12 months.