Acupuncture - anyone can do it!

I occasionally get angry comments left on my youtube page, and recently had one stating that 'quackery' such as acupuncture shouldn't be tolerated 'in such modern times'. I replied that there was a growing body of scientific evidence for acupuncture, and was then confronted with a BMJ acupuncture trial from 2009. The trial concluded that acupuncture only has a mild effect in pain relief, and most of this could probably be put down to practitioner bias etc. I thought the suggestions the authors made for future trials were very revealing, and highlight the kind of obstacles that stand in the way of acupuncture's acceptance into mainstream healthcare:

'We suggest that future trials on acupuncture for pain ... try to reduce bias by ensuring blinding when possible. For example, blinding of the healthcare provider can be achieved by having the needling done by acupuncture naïve clinicians blinded to the hypothesis of the trial.'

In other words, the best way to achieve a fair test of acupuncture is to have it performed by someone who has never done it before! And these trials, presumably, would be used to 'prove' that traditional acupuncture has no merit. This seems to reveal the authors' own bias - traditional acupuncture can't possibly work, so the training of the practitioner shouldn't affect the results. Would a fair test of a surgical procedure be to see if it worked when a 'surgery naive clinician' cut people open?

As I've talked about in other posts the insistence on a placebo control really does hinder acupuncture research. Why not look more seriously at comparative trials - i.e. is acupuncture undertaken by a trained professional more or less effective than other interventions?  Maybe because these trials tend to produce much more positive results... 

Please note: this blog is intended for educational and general interest purposes only. If you have any health concerns, please discuss them with your doctor. www.tomtheacupuncturist.co.uk

It's easy to be an average acupuncturist

Ok, the title is a little tongue-in-cheek.  Actually, it involves a lot of work to become a qualified acupuncturist - all my previous studies were a doddle in comparison.  But my point is (no pun intended) that once qualified, it is relatively 'easy' to get decent results, regardless of which model of understanding is applied (TCM, 5 Element, Japanese Meridian, Dry Needling etc.)   There are many sceptics that claim 'it doesn't matter where you put the needles', and I don't wish to add fuel to that fire, but at the same time I think it's important to be honest.  The fact is, I and my fellow students got some very good results in our student clinic, despite having only a beginner's grasp of diagnosis, point location etc.

There are many rather disappointing studies which compare 'real' acupuncture with needles placed in supposedly inactive areas, showing very little difference in results.  Why is this?  I believe it's because inserting needles almost anywhere does have a beneficial effect, whether you understand this in terms of hormone release, or increasing the flow of Qi.

However, I also strongly believe that these studies are misleading.  Not only do they imply that the 'random' needling is inert, but they often don't explain the thinking behind the 'real' acupuncture.  What logic was used to choose the points?  Was careful palpation applied?  What technique was used to needle the points?  Was the practitioner properly trained?  All these factors - and more - are important, and will effect the outcome of any study.

I see the improvements gained from 'random' needling as a useful bonus!  It means you can often be quite wrong with your diagnosis, and still the patient often feels an improvement, even if just in terms of general well being.  But it also means it's easy to become complacent.  I'm currently about 4 and a half years into my practice, and I feel as though I'm only beginning to scratch the surface.  However, my results are gradually improving as I learn new techniques and approaches suitable for particular situations, which to me makes it clear that it does matter where you stick the needles!

Please note: this blog is intended for educational and general interest purposes only. If you have any health concerns, please discuss them with your doctor.

www.tomtheacupuncturist.co.uk