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                  • Volunteers wanted for a clinical trial: acupuncture for reducing opioid medication use

Volunteers wanted for a clinical trial: acupuncture for reducing opioid medication use

This trial evaluates the potential benefits of acupuncture for reducing opioid medication usage by people with chronic pain.

Download the brochure (PDF 93KB 2p).

Acupuncture and musculoskeletal pain

One in five Australians suffers from chronic pain, with the majority of them having chronic musculoskeletal pain. Chronic pain is the third most costly group of health problems. Moderate to severe chronic musculoskeletal pain is being increasingly managed by opioid medications. In Australia, the consumption of such medications has increased by 5 to 40 times.

Although there is short-term benefit of opioid medications for chronic musculoskeletal pain, no evidence supports their long-term use. In contrast, chronic pain patients who are on long-term opioid medications experience more severe pain, poorer quality of life, and are more likely to adopt ineffective pain coping strategies. Animal and human studies have shown that electroacupuncture, a form of acupuncture commonly used for pain control, not only increases the release of endogenous opioids, a type of natural pain killer, but also make opioid medications more effective. Our pilot study demonstrated that electroacupuncture may reduce the use of opioid medications.

The National Health and Medical Research Council Funded Study

RMIT researchers are undertaking a new study into chronic pain management by using acupuncture. This research aims to determine if acupuncture can effectively reduce the use of opioid medications in the management of chronic musculoskeletal pain.

The project is funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).

The research team

The research team includes pain researchers, neurologists, pain specialists and acupuncturists from Royal Melbourne Hospital, Caulfield Hospital, Sunshine Hospital and RMIT University.

Chief investigators

Other researchers

The study will recruit volunteers who are

• aged between 18 and 85;
• have suffered from musculoskeletal pain for a period of longer than three months (such as neck pain, back pain, shoulder pain, knee pain, and hip pain); and
• using any type and dosage of opioid medications, including but not limited to codeine, tramadol, morphine, oxycodone, fentanyl, and methadone.

In the present study, all participants will receive Pain and Medication Management advice on the impact of pain and how to manage pain and reduce opioid medication. The advice will be given by a medical doctor, who has advanced knowledge and experience in pain management.

Participants will then be randomly allocated to receive real electroacupuncture, fake electroacupuncture or no acupuncture. Twelve sessions of treatment will be delivered over a period of 10 weeks. At the end of the trial, those allocated to the no-acupuncture group will have the opportunity to receive electroacupuncture treatment for 10 weeks. Participants will sign a consent form prior to being included in the trial.

Research clinics are located in the pain clinic of Royal Melbourne Hospital, Caulfield Hospital, Chinese medicine clinical research laboratory in Bundoora - RMIT University, the National Ageing Research Institute in Parkville and clinics in Geelong.

Further information

If you are interested in participating or would like more information about the study, please fill in the form below and one of the investigators will get in touch with you via your preferred method of contact.