Researchers from the Department of Rehabilitative Medicine at the Phramongkutklao College of Medicine in Bangkok recently looked at treatments for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). The study recruited 61 patients with mild-moderate carpal tunnel syndrome and divided them into an acupuncture treatment group and a night splinting group.

The acupuncture group received electro-acupuncture 2x/week for 5 weeks and the night splinting group wore the splint for 5 weeks.

Pain scales were used to measure changes at baseline and at the end of the study. The researchers found similar reductions between the two groups in general terms of symptoms and functional ability but they found greater reductions in pain within the electro-acupuncture (EA) group.

While the study did not go any further than the initial treatments, it does seem from clinical experience that acupuncture also leads to longer term results than splinting. Further studies would have to be done to confirm what we see clinically.