BATTLEFIELD ACUPUNCTURE (BFA) FOR MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC PAIN IN AN OUTPATIENT SETTING - Abstract

Sep 29, 2026

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Battlefield Acupuncture (BFA) is a non-pharmacological auricular acupuncture technique used for chronic pain management. A prospective pre-post interventional study evaluated short-term and longitudinal effectiveness among veterans receiving BFA in a Veteran Health Administration community clinic (2018–2019). Fifty-four veterans received BFA; 19 completed at least five sessions. Significant pain reductions occurred after each session using the DVPRS, but cumulative improvement across multiple sessions was not statistically significant. Limitations include small sample size and no control group; larger controlled studies are needed.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion and Limitations

Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 1107 Abstract citation ID: igaf122.3719 BATTLEFIELD ACUPUNCTURE (BFA) FOR MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC PAIN IN AN OUTPATIENT SETTING Ana Maria Pasatiempo1, Rachel Ceria2, Stephanie Hicks2, and Jessika Dayrit2, 1. VA Pacific Islands Health Care System, Department of Veterans Affairs, Alaska, United States, 2. VA Pacific Islands Health Care System, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States Background: Battlefield Acupuncture (BFA) is anon-pharmacological auricular acupuncture technique used to manage chronic pain. This study evaluated the short-term and 1108 Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 longitudinal effectiveness of BFA among veterans receiving care in the Veteran Health Administration (VHA) community clinic. Methods: Prospective pre-post interventional study was conducted at the VHA Guam Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (2018-2019). Fifty-four veterans with chronic pain received BFA delivered by trained clinicians. Pain intensity was assessed immediately before and after each session using the Defense and Veterans Pain Rating Scale (DVPRS) . Final analytic sample included19 participants who completed at least five sessions. Short-term effects were examined by comparing pre-post pain scores for each session; cumulative change was evaluated by comparing pre-session scores from first and fifth visits. Non-parametric tests accounted for the ordinal nature of pain ratings. Results: Significant reductions in pain were observed after each session (mean= 2.68, SD = 1.73) . Subsequent treatments also demonstrated significant pain reduction (2nd session, mean=2 .05 with SD = 2 .09, 3rd session, mean=2 .16 with SD = 1 .92, 4th session, mean =1 .94 with SD = 1 . 84, 5th session with mean 1.58 with SD = 1.92). However, cumulative improvement across sessions was not statistically significant (χ2(4) = 3.40, p = 0.49) . Conclusion: Older Veterans often rely on opioids for chronic pain, which may lead to dependency and side effects. BFA produced short-term effectiveness in reducing chronic pain, with significant relief after individual sessions. However, sustained improvement over multiple treatments was not observed. Limitations include small sample size, lack of a control group, and potential confounders. Larger controlled studies are warranted to assess long-term efficacy.

FAQs

What is Battlefield Acupuncture (BFA) and what was it used for in this study?

BFA is a non-pharmacological auricular acupuncture technique used to manage chronic pain. This study evaluated its effectiveness in veterans receiving outpatient care.

How was pain intensity measured and when were assessments made?

Pain intensity was assessed immediately before and after each BFA session using the Defense and Veterans Pain Rating Scale (DVPRS). Short-term effects compared pre- and post-scores per session, and cumulative change compared pre-visit scores from the first and fifth visits.

Did BFA provide sustained improvement across multiple sessions?

Significant reductions were observed after each session, indicating short-term relief. However, cumulative improvement across sessions was not statistically significant.

What limitations did the study report and what future work was suggested?

Limitations included a small sample size, lack of a control group, and potential confounders. The study recommends larger controlled studies to assess long-term efficacy.

Sep 29, 2026

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