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This prospective three-arm randomised controlled trial investigated whether press-needle therapy combined with sensory integration training could offer a safe, non-pharmacological option for managing mild to moderate tic disorders in children aged six to twelve years. A total of 162 children were divided equally into three groups: one receiving press-needle therapy plus sensory integration training, one receiving sensory integration training alone, and one receiving the standard pharmaceutical drug tiapride hydrochloride. The trial ran for twelve weeks, followed by a further twelve-week follow-up period.
All three groups demonstrated statistically significant improvements in tic severity scores and traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores by weeks six and twelve. Notably, the combination of press-needle therapy and sensory integration training produced between-group differences that were statistically significant at week twelve and at the follow-up assessment, outperforming sensory integration training alone. Overall clinical response rates were high across all groups, with no statistically significant difference between them. Crucially, no adverse events were recorded in the press-needle therapy plus sensory integration training group, compared with one case in the sensory integration training group and five cases among those taking tiapride hydrochloride.
The results indicate that press-needle therapy enhances the benefits of sensory integration training and achieves tic reduction broadly comparable to first-line drug treatment, with a markedly better safety profile.
Conclusion: Press-needle therapy combined with sensory integration training appears to be a safe and effective non-pharmacological alternative for children with mild to moderate tic disorders, offering results comparable to standard medication without associated side effects.
Source: Ge SN, Hu WL, Wang CL and colleagues. Medicine (2026). View on PubMed (PMID 42432962) · doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000049703