ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Gazzetta Medica Italiana Archivio per le Scienze Mediche 2004 December;163(6):257-60

Copyright © 2004 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: Italian

Acupunture in gravidic low back pain: a piloti study

Palermo P. ¹, Di Stanislao C. ², Di Ferdinando A. ¹, Patacchiola F. ¹, Di Berardino C. ¹, Mascaretti G. ¹

¹ U.O. di Ginecologia ed Ostetricia, Università degli Studi de l’Aquila, l’Aquila; ² Dipartimento di Scienze Chirurgiche, U.O. di Dermatologia, Ospedale Civile San Salvatore, L’Aquila

Aim. Gravidic low back pain incidence is between 49-56% of pregnancy and his apparence is mainly between the 5° and tha 7° mounth. Pregnancy cames in to the genesis of gravidic low back pain either for an increase of biomechanical load or for an increase of collagen tissue laxity to a rise of haematic relaxina concentration. Obviously in pregnancy are not suggested invasive diagnostic tests and farmacological treatment that should have many harmful effects on the fetus. Many studies of recent literature supports the favourable action of acupuncture in gravidic low back pain either for his efficacy on the algic symptoms resolution, or for his safety and harmlessness on the pregnant and fetus. Toking start from these consideration we wont to estimate acupuncture efficacy and safety in the treatment of gravidic low back pain.
Methods. We have treated 17 women in a period time between january 2003 and january 2004. These patients cames to our observation in the U.O. of Gynecology and Obstretics with same symptoms referred to a lombalgy or to lombosciatalgy. Patients have been treated for a month articulated in a 2 times/3 times session for week. Each session time was about 30 minutes. Pain trend either for starting valutation,or for final valutation, has been estimated with VAS SCORE based on 10 points.
Results. After 1 mounth therapy, all patients group shows a clearly algic symptoms improvement and we didn’t record any local or general unfavourable event.
Conclusion. This study, even if feels the limits in the acupunctural field, anyway shows acupunctural efficacy and safety in gravidic low back pain and it confirms literature axisting data.