Acupuncture: do those needles work
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Dr Arjun Rajagopalan Acupuncture Do those needles work? Meridians: energy channels Elaborately mapped Theoretical - not demonstrable
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Transcript of Acupuncture: do those needles work
Dr Arjun Rajagopalan
Acupuncture
Do those needles work?
Meridians: energy channels
Elaborately mapped
Theoretical - not demonstrable
Dr Arjun Rajagopalan
The procedure
Push and turn
Fine needles - almost painless
Inserted along meridians
Twirled gently
Dr Arjun Rajagopalan
Effectiveness Assessed “objectively”
TreatmentIneffective Effective
Abandon/ Avoid Adopt/ Promote
Safe Reproducible
Does it work?The system does not
matter
Dr Arjun Rajagopalan
The evidence
Acupuncture for chronic painVickers AJ, Linde K
JAMA 2014: 311(9): 955-956. doi:10.1001/jama.2013.285478 http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1835483&resultClick=3Proof of the pudding
Dr Arjun Rajagopalan
The numbers
Acupuncture for chronic painVickers AJ, Linde K
JAMA 2014: 311(9): 955-956. doi:10.1001/jama.2013.285478 http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1835483&resultClick=3
Well …
No treatment
Sham
Acupuncture 50%
42%
30% Pain relief
Is acupuncture associated with reduced pain outcomes for patients with chronic pain compared with sham-
acupuncture (placebo) or no acupuncture?
Dr Arjun Rajagopalan
All placebos are not created equal
Acupuncture for chronic painVickers AJ, Linde K
JAMA 2014: 311(9): 955-956. doi:10.1001/jama.2013.285478 http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1835483&resultClick=3
No treatment
Sham
Acupuncture 50%
42%
30% Pain relief
Pre-existing beliefs and perceptions of what is done matter
Significant placebo effect of merely
introducing needles anywhere
Some are more equal than others
Dr Arjun Rajagopalan
Competence of acupuncturist
Risks: infection, unclean needles
Cost: Not cheaper than simple, safe anlagesics
Postponement of definitive treatment
What now?
Your call
50% 50%
Pain relievedNo relief
