Study on the efficacy of colorpuncture for pain treatment in the setting of the retirement home 'Casa Anziani Malcantonese'.

CH-6980 Castelrotto
Tel.: +41 91 611 37 00
Fax: +41 91 611 37 01
E-mail: info@oscam.ch
Internet: www.oscam.ch

Abstract

Roberto Perucchi, pedagogista, Dr. Med. Fausto Pagnamenta, specialista FMH pediatria, Dr.ssa Med. Marica Bedrina, specialista FMH medicina generale, Dr. Med. Alberto Foletti, specialista FMH chirurgia, Chiara Piccaluga, cromopuntrice, Paola Nicoletti, infermiera professionale, Laura Ceolin Perucchi, cromopuntrice

1. Background

Roberto Perucchi, - Director of the retirement home 'Casa Anziani Malcantonese' (CAM) - promoted at the beginning of 2012 a research project on pain reduction using chromopuncture by Peter Mandel. The CAM already offers to its guests a wide variety of therapeutic options, i.e. physiotherapy, 100% ; music therapy, 20%; and currently chromopuncture, 30%. The CAM is located next to a hospital for acute and chronic illnesses.

2. Methods

Colorpuncture is a therapy proposed in 1980 by Peter Mandel in Germany. It consists of irradiating the skin on precise spots with coloured light, following acupuncture meridians and other original reflexology structures. Following the bio-physiological indications by F. Popp, in the 90's he introduced incoherent infrared light of a vibrational frequency of 950 nm for pain treatment. Empirical results based on hundreds of patients showed a strong efficacy in reducing and suppressing pain. The research was carried out from February 2012 to March 2013 with weekly therapeutic sessions. 12 patients volunteered for the study with an average age of 85.8 years old. Pain perception measurements were recorded using standard protocols adopted in all Swiss hospitals. Such measurements were taken before and after each session, as well as after a month following the end of the study. Nursing personnel independent from the colorpuncture therapist was involved in the collection of these measurements.

3. Results

The pain scale consists of four levels:
1. No pain;
2. Mild;
3. Moderate;
4. Intense.
Already after a first non-specific session, pain was reduced by 30%. Comparing pain levels before and after the study, it was found that pain was reduced in 89% of the cases, with complete pain disappearance in all but one patient. Moreover, the subjects' quality of life increased noticeably according to their subjective assessment.

In parallel to pain reduction, drugs consumption also decreased. Drugs are categorized as follows:
Level 1: anti-inflammatory drugs and FANS, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (tylenol).
Level 2: weak opioid drugs (codeine).
Level 3: opioid drugs (morphine).
Drugs reduction between the beginning of the study and its conclusion was as follows: 55% for level 1; 50% for level 2 and 40% for level 3. drugs reduction was prescribed by the patients' doctor.

The study also aimed at assessing pharmacological costs in relation to pain reduction. Before the beginning of the study, the cost per unit for antalgic drugs was 19.43 CHF per one-day treatment and per patient. After the conclusion of the study, the cost was 13.50 CHF. This corresponds to a cost reduction by 30.49%. On an annual basis, costs reduction per unit went from 7092 CHF to 4930 CHF.

4. Final considerations

To our knowledge, this is the first study on colorpuncture and pain of this level of detail which lasted for an entire year, and which had an independent objective assessment of pain levels. The reduction of pharmacological costs is an added benefit of colorpuncture treatments. It would be interesting to introduce chromopuncture in other medical institutions as well in order to verify these results.