Effect of electroacupuncture at homotopic and heterotopic acupoints on abdominal pain in patients with irritable bowel syndrome: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Acupuncture has been widely applied in the clinic to treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but the underlying mechanism remains unknown. Diffuse noxious inhibitory control (DNIC) is deficient in patients with IBS, which attenuates the systemic analgesic effect elicited by noxious stimulation that is remote from pain areas. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the analgesic effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at homotopic or heterotopic acupoints on abdominal pain in patients with IBS.

Methods/design

This study is a randomized, single-blinded, controlled, four-arm parallel trial. A total of 144 patients will be randomly assigned to four groups: a homotopic noxious stimulation group (group A), a homotopic innocuous stimulation group (group B), a heteroto

SUBMITTER: Peng Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6192074 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature