May is National Mental Health Month in the U.S., and today’s post is the 2nd in a series addressing mental health issues.

Today’s post highlights research published earlier this year, which examined acupuncture and counseling for depression. The research was conducted in the UK, and was designed to determine both the clinical effectiveness and cost effectiveness of a short course of acupuncture or counseling for depression, compared to usual care. 

Patients were recruited into the study from the primary care population in the UK. Patients were adults and had been seen in the past 5 years for depression and were continuing to experience symptoms of depression. Patients needed to score in the moderate to severe depression range to be considered for entry into the study.

Up to 12 sessions of acupuncture or counseling were offered, usually on a weekly schedule. The primary endpoint of the study was at 3 months. Data was collected at baseline, and again at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months.The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was used. The PHQ-9 is a validated tool used to diagnose as well as monitor treatment for depression.

Results of the study showed statistically significant improvements in depression at 3 months with both acupuncture and counseling, when compared to usual care. 33% of the acupuncture patients and 29% of the counseling patients achieved a successful treatment outcome. Only 18% of the usual care group achieved this result. In addition, acupuncture was found to be a cost-effective treatment for depression.

This well-designed study shows that acupuncture is a well-tolerated and cost-effective treatment for depression, over the short to medium time frame. Given the worldwide burden of depression, acupuncture seems an option worthy of consideration for treatment.

(Source- Programme Grants for Applied Research 2017, Vol. 5 No.3)

This blog is a review of the medical and scientific literature, and should only be used for informational purposes. It does not constitute medical or health advice, nor does it create a physician-patient relationship with anyone. Discuss any health concerns with your personal physician.