Marco Antônio Hélio Silva, Albert Ambram, Lucas Longo, Elaine Cortez, George G A Pujalte
{"title":"Electroacupuncture on Postoperative Pain Control: A Systematic Review.","authors":"Marco Antônio Hélio Silva, Albert Ambram, Lucas Longo, Elaine Cortez, George G A Pujalte","doi":"","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Managing postoperative pain (POP) effectively is key to improving surgical recovery. Common medications (e.g., opioids) often cause adverse effects, such as nausea, vomiting, sedation, and respiratory depression. Electroacupuncture (EA) may be an effective alternative or complementary strategy for POP relief.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To systematically examine studies evaluating EA as a neuromodulatory technique for managing POP.</p><p><strong>Methods/design: </strong>We performed a systematic review of studies published within the last 5 years. We searched 7 databases: Scopus, Sage Journals, MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane, Lilacs, and ScienceDirect. Of 1,789 identified articles, 18 met inclusion criteria. Studies were grouped by whether they reported statistically significant effects, additional recovery-related outcomes, or no meaningful findings. Most studies provided Level 2 evidence.</p><p><strong>Setting: </strong>The reviewed research was conducted in various international clinical and academic institutions, although setting details were inconsistently reported.</p><p><strong>Participants: </strong>Participants included patients recovering from different types of surgery. Populations varied by age and surgical procedure and reporting on adverse events or dropouts was not uniform.</p><p><strong>Interventions: </strong>The intervention assessed was EA. Treatment parameters varied among the studies.</p><p><strong>Primary outcome measures: </strong>Pain intensity was the primary outcome, measured using standard scales (e.g., visual analog and numeric rating scales). Secondary outcomes included reductions in pain medication use and other recovery metrics.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Most studies demonstrated a significant reduction in pain following EA treatment. Overall, EA appeared to enhance pain control and support recovery.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Evidence supports EA as a potential adjunct for POP management. High-quality studies are needed to confirm its effectiveness and refine its use.</p><p><strong>Keywords: </strong>Electroacupuncture, Postoperative Pain, Systematic Review, Analgesia, Opioid-Sparing, Opioid Consumption, Integrative Medicine, Complementary Therapies.</p>","PeriodicalId":7571,"journal":{"name":"Alternative therapies in health and medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9000,"publicationDate":"2026-03-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Alternative therapies in health and medicine","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"INTEGRATIVE & COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Managing postoperative pain (POP) effectively is key to improving surgical recovery. Common medications (e.g., opioids) often cause adverse effects, such as nausea, vomiting, sedation, and respiratory depression. Electroacupuncture (EA) may be an effective alternative or complementary strategy for POP relief.
Objective: To systematically examine studies evaluating EA as a neuromodulatory technique for managing POP.
Methods/design: We performed a systematic review of studies published within the last 5 years. We searched 7 databases: Scopus, Sage Journals, MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane, Lilacs, and ScienceDirect. Of 1,789 identified articles, 18 met inclusion criteria. Studies were grouped by whether they reported statistically significant effects, additional recovery-related outcomes, or no meaningful findings. Most studies provided Level 2 evidence.
Setting: The reviewed research was conducted in various international clinical and academic institutions, although setting details were inconsistently reported.
Participants: Participants included patients recovering from different types of surgery. Populations varied by age and surgical procedure and reporting on adverse events or dropouts was not uniform.
Interventions: The intervention assessed was EA. Treatment parameters varied among the studies.
Primary outcome measures: Pain intensity was the primary outcome, measured using standard scales (e.g., visual analog and numeric rating scales). Secondary outcomes included reductions in pain medication use and other recovery metrics.
Results: Most studies demonstrated a significant reduction in pain following EA treatment. Overall, EA appeared to enhance pain control and support recovery.
Conclusions: Evidence supports EA as a potential adjunct for POP management. High-quality studies are needed to confirm its effectiveness and refine its use.
期刊介绍：
Launched in 1995, Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine has a mission to promote the art and science of integrative medicine and a responsibility to improve public health. We strive to maintain the highest standards of ethical medical journalism independent of special interests that is timely, accurate, and a pleasure to read. We publish original, peer-reviewed scientific articles that provide health care providers with continuing education to promote health, prevent illness, and treat disease. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine was the first journal in this field to be indexed in the National Library of Medicine. In 2006, 2007, and 2008, ATHM had the highest impact factor ranking of any independently published peer-reviewed CAM journal in the United States—meaning that its research articles were cited more frequently than any other journal’s in the field.
Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine does not endorse any particular system or method but promotes the evaluation and appropriate use of all effective therapeutic approaches. Each issue contains a variety of disciplined inquiry methods, from case reports to original scientific research to systematic reviews. The editors encourage the integration of evidence-based emerging therapies with conventional medical practices by licensed health care providers in a way that promotes a comprehensive approach to health care that is focused on wellness, prevention, and healing. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine hopes to inform all licensed health care practitioners about developments in fields other than their own and to foster an ongoing debate about the scientific, clinical, historical, legal, political, and cultural issues that affect all of health care.
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