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hottm8oh
USA
141 Posts |
 Posted - 05/12/2009 : 08:48:41
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I was so amused reading this.
Even 'fake' acupuncture helps back pain
Acupressure works too
People suffering from chronic low back pain who received acupuncture treatments fared better than those receiving only conventional care, according to a recent study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Interestingly, the study also showed that people receiving simulated acupuncture-toothpicks were used instead of needles--also fared better than those receiving conventional care.
What gives?
Researchers wish they knew. But western-style clinical trials (initially designed to test drugs) still can't explain how acupuncture actually works. What is known is that both acupuncture and sham acupuncutre has been shown to elicit a positive effect.
"This adds to the growing body of evidence that there is something meaningful taking place during acupuncture treatments outside of actual needling," said Dr. Josephine P. Briggs, director of the National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine. "Future research is needed to delve deeper into what is evoking these responses."
Here's more detail on the clinical trial, from a NCCAM press release:
"This trial enrolled 638 adults with chronic low back pain who had never had acupuncture and who had rated the "bothersomeness" of their pain as at least a 3 on a 0-to-10 scale.
The participants were randomly assigned to one of four groups: individualized acupuncture, involving a customized prescription for acupuncture points from a diagnostician; standardized acupuncture, using a single prescription for acupuncture points that experts consider generally effective for chronic low back pain; simulated acupuncture, which mimics needle acupuncture but does not involve actual penetration of the skin; or usual care, which is standard medical care.
The patients assigned to any of the three acupuncture groups (individualized, standardized, or simulated) were treated twice weekly for three weeks, and then weekly for four weeks. At 8, 26, and 52 weeks, researchers measured back-related dysfunction and how much symptoms bothered participants.
The researchers found that at eight weeks the individualized, standardized, and simulated acupuncture groups all improved their dysfunction scores significantly more than the group receiving usual care. These benefits persisted for one year, though diminished over time.
However, there was no significant difference between the groups receiving the needle and simulated forms of acupuncture. Thus, while acupuncture was found effective in treating low back pain, neither tailoring acupuncture needle sites to an individual patient nor penetrating the skin appears to be important for receiving therapeutic benefit."
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scd1833
USA
124 Posts |
Posted - 05/13/2009 : 20:54:27
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| I used acupuncture back when I had SEVERE LB pain many years pre-sarno, and it helped get me moving again, so I believed in it, but I've also read that it doesn't really matter where the needles are placed, even random needle placement yields results, so it may be entirely a placebo effect, or it may just stimulate circulation, or perhaps it works on some other level. it always made me feel better anyway, very relaxed and calm...I think it's a good thing. |
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Effie
USA
46 Posts |
Posted - 05/17/2009 : 16:00:15
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I started feeling better even BEFORE the acupuncturist started -- when she sat down and really TALKED to me and sympathized about what was going on. She was the first person who really spent a measurable amount of time with me and actually cared, and that really helped. Almost all of the doctors I saw wrote me off immediately, and would get upset at the amount of time I wanted to take to try to explain what was going on. I'd get about 5 minutes and that was it, and that wasn't enough. In retrospect, though, now that I know about TMS, I kind of don't blame them.  Also, in retrospect, although acupuncture and massage helped, I think they also helped keep me focused on the problem (especially that trigger-point massage -- youch!). Learning about TMS was the quickest and most effective treatment for me.  |
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Study: "Fake" accupuncture helps low back pain
