The Effectiveness of Acupuncture on Addiction Severity Index: A Single Case Experimental Design in a Case of Methamphetamine Abuser Patient With Trismus Syndrome

Trismus is one of the side effects of methamphetamine use which is associated with contractions of the jaw muscles. Acupuncture is a traditional and complementary treatment that is effective in reducing pain and psychological indices. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the acupuncture in a case of trismus caused by methamphetamine abuse. The patient was a 31-year-old man with a history of chronic methamphetamine use, reported to have dependence and severe jaw pain. In a single case study and in an ABAB design with multi-baselines, we used acupuncture for 3 weeks to reduce pain and addiction severity index (ASI). Data were analyzed through a generalized estimating equation (GEE). The results showed that there was no significant correlation between severity of addiction and pain (P > 0.05). Due to damage caused in the process of production of tyrosine hydroxylase and mitogen-activated protein kinase and the role of these precursors in the production of dopamine as an effective factor in the acupuncture, the effectiveness of this treatment can be limited.