A Review of Clinical Research Trends in Acupuncture Treatment for Drug Addiction

Background: Drug addiction has emerged as a very serious social problem in South Korea, and there are currently virtually no clear solutions.And as there is a lack of clinical research on Korean medicine for drug addiction, this study aimed to serve as a foundation for study on Korean medicine for drug addicts in South Korea.Methods: Based on domestic and international online databases, randomized controlled trial studies on acupuncture treatment for drug addicts were analyzed.Nineteen studies were finally selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria.Results: Various types of acupuncture, such as body acupuncture and auricular acupuncture, were used, along with objective and subjective scales of various physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms.And there were also some studies that implemented compensation for participation or measured relapse through follow-up observations.Conclusion: Some studies have found that acupuncture is safe and can help alleviate withdrawal symptoms in drug addiction.However, its effectiveness may be affected by various factors, and many results were ineffective.And this study is limited in that it is not a systematic review, only searched three online databases and the overall bias of most studies was 'Some concerns'.Therefore, studies to supplement these points are needed in the future.