Acupuncture for Adults With Sickle Cell Disease (SCD): A Feasibility Study
Acupuncture for Adults With Sickle Cell Disease (SCD): A Feasibility Study
The investigators long-term goal is to demonstrate the effectiveness of acupuncture for the
 treatment of adults with chronic pain of sickle cell disease (SCD), a debilitating pain
 syndrome characterized by acute and chronic pain. The objective of this study is to explore
 the feasibility and acceptability of acupuncture with adult sickle cell patients. The
 investigators will conduct the study with adults with chronic pain from SCD, 18 years old or
 greater. They will all receive acupuncture. Treatments will be twice weekly for 5 weeks for
 30 minutes. At baseline and post-treatment, subjects will complete measures that include
 pain, fatigue, anxiety, depressive symptoms, injustice experience, and pain catastrophizing.
 Subjects will also complete a measure of study acceptability, the Protocol Acceptability
 Scale for Treating SCD with Acupuncture at post-treatment. The investigators will describe
 the procedures and potential challenges to implementing the acupuncture protocol and the
 range in the subjects' Acceptability Scale scores. The investigators will expect to identify
 and rectify any procedural problems subjects will report regarding the 10-session study
 protocol.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Adults with Sickle Cell Disease

 -  Receiving care at the University of Illinois Sickle Cell Disease clinic

 -  Moderate to severe level of pain (>3 on 0-10 scale) within the last 3 months

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Pregnancy

 -  Physically or cognitively unable to complete the study procedures