Acupuncture Explained
TELL ME MORE - TRIALS, PLACEBO AND SHAM ACUPUNCTURE
For the full "Acupuncture Explained" article >>> see here
There is one final aspect that I must mention. There have been many trials that show an effect due to acupuncture but also show a similar effect from sham acupuncture. Newspapers carry headlines that say “acupuncture is no better than sham”
This is a topic that resurfaces at every conference. How can we do a randomized, double blinded trail of acupuncture? What can you think of that looks and feels like a needle but isn’t a needle? How can you set up a trial so that patients and therapists are blind as to whether or not a treatment by needle is given? As we saw earlier there is a global effect from needling anywhere and the local effect doesn’t always need strong stimulation to occur; light touch is enough for some people. This is an unresolved problem and it is very important to English doctors who want the NHS (National Health Service) to pay for Acupuncture treatment.
The NHS will not pay for treatment that is unproven. At the moment, proof that is acceptable to the NHS is almost impossible to get.
START HERE - read the articles in this order
>>> ACUPUNCTURE EXPLAINED
>>> Acupuncture Explained - Tell me more - Local Effect
>>> Acupuncture Explained - Tell me more - Segmental Effect
>>> Acupuncture Explained - Tell me more - General Effect
>>> Acupuncture Explained - Tell me more - Trials, Placebo and Sham Acupuncture
Bill Ferguson, Osteopath
May 2020
