Acupuncture for knee pain in pediatric patients: a retrospective chart review over the last 10 years

Chronic pain is common in the United States, with studies suggesting that pain impacts 20% of adults annually. There are many pharmacological agents used to treat pain, including but not limited to opioids, gabapentin, oral analgesics, and antidepressants as analgesics. Acupuncture has been shown to be effective in reducing musculoskeletal pain, headaches, and chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in adults. Children also suffer from chronic pain, but minimal research has examined the use of acupuncture for treatment of pediatric pain. The purpose of this retrospective chart review is to quantify pain reduction in pediatric joint pain treated with acupuncture. The pain scores prior to first and sixth acupuncture treatment for knee pain were compared for 14 pediatric patients. Daily activity and functions scores were obtained from 6 patients. Our results revealed a statistically significant reduction in median pain score (P=0.002). 47% of our sample reported clinically significant pain reduction (> 30% reduction in pain on numerical rating scale (NRS)) and 60% of individuals with baseline moderate-severe pain reported clinically significant pain reduction. The median interference of pain with daily activity was reduced in 5 of 7 daily activities. Our results suggest that acupuncture might be an effective treatment modality for pediatric knee pain and improving quality of life