A study published in the Journal of Pain (2011; 12(3):307–314) compared acupuncture and steroid treatment in 77 individuals with mild to moderate carpal tunnel syndrome. Participants assigned to the acupuncture group received eight treatments over a four-week period.
Outcomes were assessed using the Global Symptom Score (GSS) and electrophysiological measurements. Changes in GSS were greater in the acupuncture group than in the steroid group, and these changes were accompanied by corresponding differences in electrophysiological findings.
