Assessing the Efficacy of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Olfactory Dysfunction: A Systematic Review.

Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol

Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Published: February 2025

Objective: This article seeks to systematically review existing literature on the use of acupuncture in treating olfactory dysfunction in order to better understand the methodology and efficacy of this alternative treatment modality.

Methods: A comprehensive search of PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, and Google Scholar was conducted. The review was conducted by 2 independent reviewers that authored this article. Inclusion criteria included all studies analyzing the efficacy of acupuncture for treatment of olfactory dysfunction. Articles were excluded if they were duplicates, opinion or review papers, incomplete or unavailable papers, or if they were in a language other than English.

Results: The review found 10 articles matching the inclusion criteria that overall showed a positive improvement in olfactory dysfunction after acupuncture intervention in multiple settings. Challenges highlighted in this review include variability in acupuncture protocols, such as differences in point selection, session frequency, and overall treatment duration, as well as the lack of standardized outcome measures for assessing olfactory function.

Conclusion: This systematic review suggests acupuncture may have therapeutic effect on improvement of olfactory function across various types of olfactory disorders, most notably seen in post-viral anosmia. Given the variability in acupuncture protocols and lack of standardized outcome measures, there is a need for further research with standardized methods and larger sample sizes. Olfactory dysfunction is fundamentally a quality-of-life issue; advancing research could solidify acupuncture as a valuable and cost-effective addition to treatment plans, optimizing patient well-being.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/00034894241295477DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

olfactory dysfunction
20
acupuncture
8
efficacy acupuncture
8
acupuncture treatment
8
olfactory
8
treatment olfactory
8
systematic review
8
inclusion criteria
8
improvement olfactory
8
variability acupuncture
8

Similar Publications

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!