Measuring of side-effects and blinding statement
bleeding, needle-induced pain, fainting, dizziness, needle-induced unpleasant sensations
BLEEDING
Previously used weekly written questions covered experience of negative side-effects (“Yes” or “No”) close to the acupuncture sessions and the therapist during every acupuncture session documented if the patents experienced any negative side-effects (bleeding around needles, dizziness, fainting, or other needle-induced unpleasant sensations; yes or no). At the end of the treatment period, the patients graded the overall intensity of needle-induced pain (induced by the skin penetration and the needle stimulation): “Not painful” or “Mildly”/“Moderately”/“Very painful”. A blinding statement was collected: “Do you think you have been treated with needles that have penetrated the skin, or do you think the needles have been placed just against the surface of your skin?.” The patients graded how sure they were on their statement using the alternatives “Not sure at all, just guessed,” “Fairly sure,” or “Entirely sure.”