In a randomized controlled trial, acupuncture given three times weekly showed superiority to the treatment given one time weekly in regulating the emotional state, improving the quality of life, and alleviating the clinical symptoms in functional dyspepsia patients. Kai-Yuan Tang et al. aimed to compare the clinical effectiveness of acupuncture with various frequencies for functional dyspepsia management. Ninety volunteers battling functional dyspepsia were enrolled and randomized into 3 groups.

The first group received acupuncture treatment three times weekly (3-A group, 31 cases with 2 dropouts), the second group received acupuncture treatment once a week (1-A group, 30 cases with 2 dropouts), and the third group served as the control (control group, 29 cases with 2 dropouts).

In the two acupuncture groups, specific acupoints were stimulated, including Taichong (LR 3), Zusanli (ST 36), Yanglingquan (GB 34), Liangqiu (ST 34), Neiguan (PC 6), bilateral Tianshu (ST 25), and Zhongwan (CV 12).

The intervention was administered for four weeks, with three and one session per week for the 3-A and 1-A groups, respectively. The control group did not receive any treatment during the study but received compensatory therapy after the follow-up period. Comparison of the self-rating depression scale (SDS), self-rating anxiety scale (SAS), and symptom index of dyspepsia (SID) scores was done among the three groups at different time points: prior to the intervention, after 4 weeks of intervention, and in 4 and 8 weeks after completion of the intervention.

Additionally, the assessment of the Nepean dyspepsia life quality index (NDLQI) score was done before the intervention, following 2 and 4 weeks of intervention, and in 4 and 8 weeks after completion of the intervention. At the 4-week mark and 4 and 8 weeks after treatment completion, both the 3-A group and the 1-A group showed decreased scores for SDS, SAS, and SID compared to their pre-treatment scores. Following 4 weeks of intervention, the scores for SDS, SAS, and SID in both acupuncture groups were lower when compared to the scores in the control group.

Furthermore, at 2 and 4 weeks of intervention, the increase in NDLQI score was greater in both acupuncture groups compared to the control group. At 4 and 8 weeks post-intervention completion, the 3-A group exhibited reduced scores for SDS, SAS, and SID than the 1-A group, and the elevation in NDLQI score was greater in the 3-A group compared to the 1-A group.

Thus, administering acupuncture thrice a week was found to be significantly more effective than once-a-week treatment for functional dyspepsia. Notably, this superior effectiveness persisted for up to 8 weeks after completing the acupuncture treatment.