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.