Dan Song
The goal of this pilot clinical trial is to learn whether auricular point acupressure (APA) can help reduce chronic musculoskeletal pain in adults age 50 and older who are living with HIV. The study will also examine whether APA is feasible, acceptable, and safe for this population. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does APA reduce chronic musculoskeletal pain and improve sleep and quality of life? Is APA feasible, acceptable, and safe for older people living with HIV? Researchers will compare true APA, in which small seeds are taped to specific ear points related to pain, with sham APA, in which seeds are taped to ear points not related to pain. The intervention will last 4 weeks. Participants will: Receive true APA or sham APA for 4 weeks Visit the study site weekly for placement of the ear seeds Press the ear seeds for 3 minutes, 3 times each day Complete daily surveys about pain and pain medication use Use a sleep monitor to track sleep Complete study assessments at the beginning and end of the intervention Complete an exit interview about their experience with APA
hronic musculoskeletal pain is common among older people living with HIV and can negatively affect mobility, independence, sleep, and quality of life. Although medications are commonly used to manage chronic pain, older adults living with HIV may already take multiple medications for HIV and other health conditions, increasing concerns about medication burden, side effects, and drug interactions. Accessible, low-cost, non-drug approaches to pain management are therefore needed for this population. This pilot randomized controlled trial will evaluate auricular point acupressure (APA) as a non-…
Inclusion Criteria: * Age 50 years or older * Living with HIV * Chronic musculoskeletal pain affecting the muscles, joints, or bones for at least 3 months * Average chronic musculoskeletal pain intensity of ≥4 on a 0-10 Numeric Pain Rating Scale during the past week Exclusion Criteria: * Recent trauma as the primary cause of pain * Concurrent use of other adjunctive pain therapies, including physical therapy, chiropractic treatment, or acupuncture * Allergy to latex due to the use of latex-containing tape on the ear points Presence of acute pain
Participants will receive auricular point acupressure (APA) using Vaccaria seeds secured with adhesive tape to designated ear acupoints for chronic musculoskeletal pain. Both ears will be treated. Participants will be instructed to press the seeds for 3 minutes, 3 times daily. Treatment will continue for 4 weeks, with each weekly cycle consisting of 5 days of wearing the seeds followed by 2 days without the seeds. Seeds will be replaced weekly by trained study personnel.
Participants will receive sham auricular point acupressure using the same materials, treatment schedule, and procedures as the APA group. However, Vaccaria seeds will be placed on non-specific ear points unrelated to chronic musculoskeletal pain. Participants will press the seeds for 3 minutes, 3 times daily for 4 weeks, following the same weekly treatment cycle as the APA group.
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