Efficacy of Electroacupuncture Combined with Auricular Point Pressing in Improving Mental Well-Being among Individuals with Heroin Use Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Crossover Trial and Pilot Study

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of combining electroacupuncture with auricular point pressing in improving quality of life of individuals with heroin use disorder undergoing methadone maintenance treatment. DESIGN: A randomized controlled crossover trial. SUBJECTS: 50 participants were recruited from Taipei City Hospital, Linsen Chinese Medicine and Kunming branches, and randomly allocated to treatment groups. METHOD: The 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) was used. Group A received electroacupuncture at the Hegu (LI4) and Zusanli (ST36) and auricular point pressing on Ear Shenmen, and Group B received only auricular point pressing on Ear Shenmen biweekly for 4 weeks. After a 1-week washout period, crossover of the groups was performed. RESULTS: The SF-36 mental component scores of the combined treatment group improved relative to the single treatment group (11.09 vs. 10.33, p=0.023). Methadone dosage was reduced in both groups (combined therapy group: 8.58 ± 4.17/7.76 ± 4.11 (baseline/posttreatment) vs. single therapy group: 8.36 ± 4.20/8.30 ± .28, p=0.001). CONCLUSION: Combined therapy of high-frequency electroacupuncture with auricular point pressing had better efficacy in enhancing quality of life, especially for mental well-being, and in gradually reducing methadone dosage.