Is acupuncture effective at treating pain or disorders? I’ll give the scientific answer to that question, and explain why I don’t recommend acupuncture for any condition. A few notes, and some references: 1. Toothpick acupuncture does NOT involve inserting the toothpick in the skin. It was merely placed against the skin in a needle guide-tube to give a sharp sensation, then removed. 2. In the USA, acupuncturists are required to meet sterile standards, use one-use-only needles or autoclaved (sterilized) needles, and must be licensed to practice. 3. I’m not really addressing the acupressure and non-insertive traditions of some Japanese acupuncture forms. Certainly these are similar to non-insertive sham treatments, but it should be noted that the placement of fingers or toothpicks is not important for the effect. References: 1. BMJ 2009;338:a3115 Acupuncture treatment for pain: systematic review of randomised clinical trials with acupuncture, placebo acupuncture, and no acupuncture groups 2. Arch Intern Med. 2009;169(9):858-866 A Randomized Trial Comparing Acupuncture, Simulated Acupuncture, and Usual Care for Chronic Low Back Pain 3. Clin Med 2006;6:381–6 Systematic review of systematic reviews of acupuncture published 1996–2005 4. Lancet. 1995 Jun 17;345(8964):1576. Adverse effects of acupuncture.
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