None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
This intervention is for New Zealand Military Veterans, who seem to suffer from complex problems including muscle aches and pains, joint stiffness, poor sleep and avoiding doing things or situations. Underlying these seems to be post traumatic stress and barriers to seeking treatment such as stoicism and the perceived lack of effective services. Our hypothesis is that we can overcome the barriers by providing acceptable forms of treatment, and that either 'battlefield acupuncture,' in which the acupuncture points are in the ear, in tandem with a particular form of talking therapy, Action and Commitment therapy (ACT), or Rongoa Maori, traditional Maori healing, will be more effective ways to manage their symptoms that 'usual care,' how they usually look after themselves. We are therefore carrying out a randomised clinical trial to see whether either Acupuncture and ACT, or Rongoa Maori, will be more effective than 'usual care' in reducing distress, pain, disability, symptoms of post-traumatic stress and avoidance, and increasing their psychological flexibility and sleep quality.
Interventions
Acupuncture (BA), a form of auriculotherapy where a sequence of small gold plated needles is placed in the ear, typically remaining for three days, when the patient is told to remove them. BA will be delivered weekly over a period of 12 weeks in the clinic of the practitioner.
Acceptance and Commitment therapy will be administered as Focussed Acceptance and Commitment therapy (FACT), which uses acceptance and mindfulness strategies to help people transform their relationship with unwanted, distr
Acupuncture (BA), a form of auriculotherapy where a sequence of small gold plated needles is placed in the ear, typically remaining for three days, when the patient is told to remove them. BA will be delivered weekly over a period of 12 weeks in the clinic of the practitioner. Acceptance and Commitment therapy will be administered as Focussed Acceptance and Commitment therapy (FACT), which uses acceptance and mindfulness strategies to help people transform their relationship with unwanted, distressing experiences. This will be delivered in tandem with BA, usually with 4 sessions, meaning with 4 sessions over the first 4 weeks. FACT will be applied in tandem with BA, each session of both expected to last for up to one hour. Rongoa Maori, traditional Maori healing, will be available as an option to those entering the treatment arm, also over 12 weekly sessions. It will be delivered by trained Practitioners at their own , who will determine which intervention is appropriate: Romiromi, the physical bodywork that uses Haemata and Haematua (acupressure points) to release trapped energy in the body that is causing ailments or illness; Mirimiri, which Includes Korero (discussions), Takutaku (incantations), Waiata (song) and Whatumanawa accessing Taha Wairua (metaphysical or spiritual elements) associated with the injury or illness, or Rongoa Wairaku - plant medicines applied either topically or ingested to support healing. Each session is also expected to last for up to one hour. Practitioners will be asked to confirm that each session has been completed according to the protocol.
Sponsors
University of Otago
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Blinded (masking used) (Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Eligible participants will be Veterans, defined as anyone who has served in the military, presenting with multiple or complex symptoms with a pattern corresponding to multi system illness, with at least one musculoskeletal symptom (e.g. joint pain, joint stiffness, muscle aches/pains) and at least one psychological symptom (e.g. sleeping difficulties, avoidance, feeling distant. unrefreshing sleep distressing dreams)
Exclusion criteria
Those with levels of distress requiring more immediate intervention.
Outcome results
None listed