A group from Taiwan has demonstrated that short-term acupuncture treatment can result in long-term improvement in carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and that acupuncture produces significantly better results than oral steroid treatment. Seventy-seven patients with mild-to-moderate idiopathic CTS were randomised to either four weeks of either oral prednisolone or twice-weekly acupuncture sessions. The patients were followed up at seven and 13 months using global symptom score (GSS) assessments and electrophysiological nerve conduction studies. Compared with baseline levels, the percentages of patients who showed treatment failure, moderate improvement and good improvement were significantly different between the two groups in favour of acupuncture, at both month seven (10.5, 2.6 and 86.8% acupuncture vs 33.3, 7.7, and 59% steroids) and month 13 (15.8, 2.6 and 81.6% acupuncture vs 51.3, 0 and 48.7% steroids). The acupuncture group showed a significantly better improvement in GSS, distal motor latencies and distal sensory latencies compared to the steroid group throughout the one-year follow-up period. Significant correlation was observed between changes of GSS and all but one of the electrophysiological parameters.

A Randomized Clinical Trial of Acupuncture Versus Oral Steroids for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A Long-Term Follow-Up. J Pain. 2010 Nov 24.