Boston Area GWI Study Now Recruiting– GWI Patients Needed

EDITOR’S NOTE:  The following was provided to 91outcomes from the study staff.  It looks to be an excellent study with strong potential for helping GWI patients, and was funded through the acclaimed CDMRP program on which several Gulf War veterans, including myself, serve.

--Anthony Hardie

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CDMRP funded study, “The Effectiveness of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Gulf War Illness”, is now recruiting in Newton, MA

Principle Investigator: Lisa Ann Conboy MA MS ScD

DOD Award:GW080059

Is acupuncture an effective treatment for Gulf War Illness (GWI)?

The New England School of Acupuncture in Newton, Massachusetts is currently running a study testing the effectiveness of acupuncture for the symptoms of (GWI). Gulf War Illness (GWI) is a complex, poorly understood illness characterized by many symptoms, including fatigue after exertion, sleep and mood problems, difficulty concentrating, difficulty thinking and finding words, and musculoskeletal pain. Acupuncture is likely to be helpful in treating GWI because it has already been used successfully to reduce many of the key symptoms of GWI – fatigue, irritability, anxiety, insomnia, and pain. Acupuncture treatment is designed to treat each individual’s symptoms making it very well suited for treating the varied symptoms of GWI. Veterans will receive care that is directed specifically at their most distressing symptoms.

Though the specific cause of GWI is unknown, acupuncture’s analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects are likely to be helpful. Acupuncture seems to work, in part, on peripheral nerves near the site of injury, in the brain, central nervous system, and on the endocrine system, in ways that promote the body’s own efforts to reduce pain and heal even chronic injuries. Numerous studies have shown acupuncture is well tolerated by patients, safe, and cost-effective compared to routine care. The acupuncture for this study is provided by licensed acupuncturists with at least 5 years of clinical experience, and who have received 20-hours of training related to symptoms of GWI.

Our study team at The New England School of Acupuncture is currently recruiting subjects who report they have symptoms of GWI. Using questionnaires, physician assessment and medical histories, we will measure the severity of symptoms before beginning treatment, after 2 months, after 4 months, and after treatment is completed at 6 months. Based on previous acupuncture research on fatigue, stress, and pain, we expect this length of treatment will be enough for patients to receive significant benefit. We also plan to collect samples of blood from our volunteers that will help identify possible disease mechanisms for the illness and track the effects of treatment.

All subjects will receive free acupuncture treatments and a small travel stipend.

If you are interested in more information please

Call the study line at 617-558-1788 Ext. 269

Send the study staff an e-mail at: dodgwi@gmail.com

Review the consent form for more details about the study