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Acupotomy at spinal acupoints improves therapeutic effectiveness in patients with primary insomnia

In a comparative study of 185 primary insomnia patients, acupotomy at spinal acupoints (95 cases) resulted in a significantly higher overall response rate than Zolpidem Tartrate Tablets (90 cases). The acupotomy group also showed significantly greater improvements in sleep quality (PSQI, ISI), hyperarousal (PSAS, HAS), sleep latency, actual sleep duration, number of awakenings, anxiety (SAS), depression (BDI), and serum neurotransmitters (GA, GABA), with a lower total adverse reaction rate.

Last updated: Aug 26, 2026•1 RCTs•📖 Read as article →

Evidence Score

Evidence Score42/100
Human RCT★★☆☆☆
Meta-analysis☆☆☆☆☆
Mechanism★★★★★
Safety★★★★☆
Confidencelow

Study Evidence

Study 1. Acupotomy at spinal acupoints for primary insomnia: an exploration of therapeutic effectiveness.

observational

Lin C, Zhou H, Zeng X, Li R, Pan J, Luo J, Hong H, La Z, Ciren B, Yuan F · American journal of translational research (2026)

Participants: N/A
Duration: Not specified in abstract
Intervention: Acupotomy at spinal acupoints
Outcome: Therapeutic effectiveness, sleep quality (PSQI, ISI), hyperarousal (PSAS, HAS), sleep latency, actual sleep duration, number of awakenings, adverse mood (SAS, BDI), serum neurotransmitters (GA, GABA), adverse reactions, quality of life
Effect Size: N/A
Population: Patients with primary insomnia (185 total; 95 in acupotomy group, 90 in control group)

Result:

PubMed: 42630471DOI: 10.62347/OOXV6352

Mechanism Graph

Acupotomy at spinal acupoints may modulate spinal segmental innervation and autonomic nervous system activity
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This modulation may reduce hyperarousal (as measured by PSAS and HAS)
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It may also influence neurotransmitter levels, increasing GABA and GA
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Result: Improved sleep quality and reduced insomnia symptoms

Limitations

  • ⚠No randomization method described; allocation based on different treatment modalities may introduce selection bias
  • ⚠No blinding mentioned; potential performance and detection bias
  • ⚠Short-term follow-up; long-term efficacy and safety not assessed
  • ⚠Single-center study; generalizability limited

Frequently Asked Questions

What is acupotomy at spinal acupoints?▼

Acupotomy is a minimally invasive procedure using a needle-like instrument to release soft tissue adhesions at acupoints. In this study, it was applied at spinal acupoints to treat primary insomnia.

How does acupotomy compare to Zolpidem for insomnia?▼

In this study, acupotomy at spinal acupoints showed a significantly higher overall response rate and greater improvements in sleep quality, hyperarousal, mood, and neurotransmitter levels compared to Zolpidem, with fewer adverse reactions.

What were the main adverse reactions of acupotomy?▼

The study reported adverse reactions including postoperative pain or soreness, local hematoma or ecchymosis, dizziness or vertigo, daytime drowsiness or lethargy, nausea or stomach upset, and hypomnesia. The total adverse reaction rate was significantly lower in the acupotomy group than in the Zolpidem group.

What neurotransmitters were measured and how did they change?▼

Serum glutamic acid (GA) and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) were measured. After treatment, both GA and GABA levels were significantly higher in the acupotomy group compared to the control group.

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References

  1. 1.Lin C, Zhou H, Zeng X, Li R, Pan J, Luo J, Hong H, La Z, Ciren B, Yuan F. "Acupotomy at spinal acupoints for primary insomnia: an exploration of therapeutic effectiveness.." American journal of translational research, 2026. PMID: 42630471 DOI: 10.62347/OOXV6352
Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Evidence scores reflect the quality and quantity of available research, not clinical recommendations. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any supplement or intervention.