Efficacy of Auricular Acupressure Combined with Transcutaneous Electrical Acupoint Stimulation for Weight Reduction in Obese Women
Lakkana Rerksuppaphol MD*
Affiliation : * Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Srinakharinwirot University, Nakhon Nayok, Thailand
Background : Obesity leads to significant morbidity and mortality. Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS)
and auricular acupressure (AA) are alternative treatments for weight reduction, however, there is no study of the combined
treatments.
Objective : To determine the efficacy of the combined treatment of TEAS and AA, compared with AA alone.
Material and Method: A prospective randomized clinical trial was conducted in 40 obese women, aged 21-60 years, 20 were
randomly assigned to receive either TEAS+AA or AA for 8 weeks. TEAS was performed using electrodes attached to the 10
acupuncture points and were electrically stimulated with 0.2 ms pulses, at 40 Hz for 30 minutes per session. AA was
performed using magnetic pellets attached to 3 auricular acupoints on each side. Self-pressure on the magnetic pellets 10
times per session, 3 sessions a day was assigned. Anthropometric parameters were obtained at the beginning and the end of
the present study.
Results : Sixteen in the TEAS+AA and 13 in the AA group completed the present study. Weight and BMI were significantly
decreased in TEAS+AA group compared to the AA group (1.91 vs. 0.42 kg and 0.76 vs. 0.18 kg/m2, respectively). After
adjustment of the covariance, the treatment protocol was the only variance which had significant effect for weight reduction
(F = 4.62; p = 0.04).
Conclusion : The combined treatment of AA and TEAS achieved higher weight reduction than the single treatment of AA in
obese women during an 8 week period.
Keywords : Acupressure, Auricular acupuncture, Obesity, Transcutaneous electrical stimulation, Weight loss
