Depression is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide and is estimated to affect 5% of adults, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). However, less than half of affected people receive adequate treatment, including psychotherapy and medication, and in low-income countries the percentage of patients without treatment can be as high as 75%. This is due, in part, to the high costs of antidepressants and their adverse side effects, such as gastric discomfort and decreased libido, which has increased interest in more accessible, non-pharmacological options.
Now, a new study carried out by specialists from the University of São Paulo (USP) and the University of South Santa Catarina (UNISUL), in Brazil, has confirmed that auricular acupuncture, endorsed by the WHO and implemented as an integrative practice since 2006 by the SUS (Unified Health System) of Brazil, is safe and effective in reducing symptoms of depression.
The results of the study have been published in the journal JAMA Network Open and demonstrate the effectiveness of auricular acupuncture as an alternative treatment for depression. Auricular acupuncture is an ancient Chinese technique that involves inserting fine needles into specific points in the outer ear to stimulate various organs, including the brain and vagus nerve. This technique is inexpensive and quick – each session lasts between 5 and 15 minutes – and can be performed by nurses or physical therapists, unlike full body acupuncture, which can only be performed by licensed professionals.
A therapeutic alternative to anti-depression drugs
The study was conducted between March and July 2023 with 74 patients with moderate or moderately severe depression with an average age of 29 years, and the majority (84%) were women. Participants were divided into two groups to receive either specific auricular acupuncture (SA) to treat depression according to traditional Chinese medicine – stimulating six points on the outer ear corresponding to shenmen (spirit), subcortex, heart, lung, liver and kidney. , or a non-specific treatment (NSA), everyone continuing with their usual treatment. The effectiveness and safety of acupuncture were evaluated after four weeks, six weeks and three months.
The results showed significant improvements in the SA group, with almost 60% of patients experiencing recovery from depression, a percentage comparable to medication treatment. Additionally, 46% of these participants reported that their symptoms had resolved, compared to 13% of the NSA group.
Daniel Maurício de Oliveira Rodrigues, first author of the article and professor of neurology at UNISUL, states that his results reveal that “almost 60% recover from depression thanks to specific auricular acupuncture,” and that “according to other studies published on this issue, this recovery rate is similar to that of drug treatment.”
Nearly 60% of patients who received auricular acupuncture experienced recovery from depression, a percentage comparable to treatment with medications
Another promising result was the lack of serious adverse effects. A large majority of participants (94% in the SA group and 91% in the NSA group) reported only mild pain at the needle application site, which Rodrigues said “demonstrates the safety of the intervention for more than six weeks.” ”.
Alexandre Faisal Cury, researcher at the Department of Preventive Medicine of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of São Paulo (FM-USP) highlights that three important data can be extracted from the study: for SUS, it validates a technique that is already in widespread use and constitutes the most practiced integrative method in the public system. For patients, he confirms that auricular acupuncture is a safe option for the treatment of mental illness. And for healthcare workers, he destigmatizes non-allopathic therapy. However, researchers point out that longer studies with more participants are needed to fully investigate the effectiveness of this treatment.
