Acupuncture use for pain after traumatic brain injury: a NIDILRR Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems cohort study

ABSTRACT

Background

Pain after traumatic brain injury (TBI) is common and can become chronic. Acupuncture is an increasingly popular non-pharmacologic option in the United States and is commonly used for pain.

Objective

We explored demographics, injury characteristics, and pain characteristics of individuals who reported using acupuncture for chronic pain after TBI.

Methods

We analyzed a subset of data collected as part of the Pain After Traumatic Brain Injury collaborative study and identified individuals reporting a history of acupuncture as part of management for chronic pain after TBI. We characterized and compared basic demographic data, pain treatment engagements, pain severity, pain interference, functional independence, and pain locations using descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results

Our sample included 1,064 individuals. Acupuncture use (n = 208) was lower proportionally among females, Blacks/African Americans, Asians, less educated, and nonmilitary service members. Insurance type varied between acupuncture and non-acupuncture users. Functional and pain outcomes were similar, but acupuncture users reported a higher number of pain sites.

Discussion

Acupuncture is one treatment utilized by individuals with TBI and chronic pain. Further investigation would be helpful to understand the barriers and facilitators of acupuncture use to inform clinical trials to examine the potential benefit of acupuncture on pain outcomes after TBI.

KEYWORDS:

• acupuncture
• traumatic brain injury
• pain
• complementary health
• integrative health

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the Chronic Pain and Traumatic Brain Injury (pain.tbindsc.org) contributors, collaborating sites, participating study staff and data collectors.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This publication was supported by the National Institutes of Health under a National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health supplement to the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences award KL2TR002317 (MS), and under grants from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research, NIDILRR 90DPTB0008 (JH), 90DPTB0002 (FH), and NIDILRR 90DPTB0017 (JH, FH). NIDILRR is a Center within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views or policies of the National Institutes of Health, NIDILRR, ACL, or HHS, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.