"The effect of acupressure on fatigue in individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome".
Kurç, Doğukan, Şakul, Ayşe Arzu Sayin, Atilgan, Esra · Explore (New York, N.Y.) · 2025 · DOI
Quick Summary
This study tested whether acupressure—a technique where pressure is applied to specific points on the body—could help reduce fatigue in people with ME/CFS who work in offices. Thirty-nine people received either 10 acupressure sessions over 4 weeks or no treatment. Those who received acupressure reported significantly less fatigue, better mood, and improved quality of life compared to those who received no treatment.
Why It Matters
ME/CFS patients often have limited treatment options, and this study suggests acupressure may offer an accessible, low-cost complementary approach to symptom management. Understanding non-pharmacological interventions is important for patients seeking alternatives or adjuncts to standard care and for building a more comprehensive treatment toolkit.
Observed Findings
Fatigue severity decreased significantly in the acupressure group while increasing in the control group (p=0.009)
Depressive symptoms improved significantly in the acupressure group (p<0.001)
Physical functioning and physical role difficulty improved (p=0.02 and p=0.002 respectively)
Energy levels improved in the acupressure group (p=0.002)
Mental health sub-parameter showed improvement in the acupressure group (p=0.05)
Inferred Conclusions
Acupressure may effectively reduce fatigue severity in office workers with ME/CFS
Acupressure may have benefits for depression and multiple quality-of-life domains
Acupressure could serve as an accessible complementary therapy option for ME/CFS management
Further investigation is warranted to establish long-term effectiveness
Remaining Questions
Does acupressure benefit persist months or years after treatment ends, or is ongoing treatment required?
How does acupressure compare to placebo/sham acupressure, and what proportion of benefit is due to specific mechanisms versus placebo effect?
What This Study Does Not Prove
This study does not prove acupressure is a cure for ME/CFS or explain the biological mechanism behind any benefit. The lack of a sham control group means some improvement could be due to placebo effect or attention rather than acupressure itself. The short 4-week treatment period and lack of long-term follow-up mean we cannot determine whether benefits persist after treatment ends.
Tags
Symptom:Fatigue
Method Flag:Weak Case DefinitionNo ControlsSmall Sample