Clinical Report: Integration of Tuina with Additional Treatments for Insomnia
Overview
This systematic review and network meta-analysis evaluated the effectiveness of various Tuina-based combination therapies for insomnia. The findings suggest that certain combinations, particularly Tuina with breath guiding and acupoint application, show significant improvements over oral medication.
Background
Insomnia is a prevalent condition that adversely affects physical and mental health, increasing the risk of various diseases. Current treatments primarily involve pharmacotherapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy, both of which have limitations. Tuina, a non-pharmacological intervention, may offer a viable alternative, especially when combined with other therapies.
Data Highlights
Intervention
Outcome
Significance
Tuina + breath guiding + acupoint application
Total effective rate
P < 0.05
Tuina + music
Total effective rate
P < 0.05
Tuina + foot bath
Total effective rate
P < 0.05
Tuina + acupuncture
PSQI score improvement
P < 0.05
Key Findings
Thirty-four RCTs with 2,663 subjects were included in the analysis.
Tuina-based combinations showed a statistically significant improvement in total effective rate compared to oral medication.
The top-ranked interventions were Tuina + breath guiding + acupoint application, Tuina + music, and Tuina + foot bath.
Tuina + acupoint application had the lowest rate of adverse events among the combinations studied.
Most evidence quality was assessed as low or very low, indicating a need for further research.
Clinical Implications
The findings suggest that Tuina-based combination therapies may provide a beneficial alternative to pharmacotherapy for insomnia management. However, the low quality of evidence highlights the necessity for further high-quality RCTs to confirm these results.
Conclusion
Tuina-based combination therapies demonstrate potential advantages over drug monotherapy for insomnia, warranting further investigation to validate these findings.
