Qi Spot

Once again, another study showing that “real” acupuncture is significantly better than “sham” acupuncture.  A single blind, randomized, sham-controlled trial was compared to use of standardized neck exercises aimed at chronic neck pain relief.  Shame on the Associated Press, really.

Certain Media Outlets' Ignorance of the Evidence is a Pain in the Neck

It seems that the Associated Press has gotten down to publishing, not one, but a series of articles proudly proclaiming that “experts” say that the benefits of alternative medicine are due to placebo.  A previous blog entry, “Associated Press Needs New Glasses” 11, Nov 2009, notes that these Associated Press-Big Pharma press releases proclaim that experts say that any beneficial effects of alternative medicine are due to placebo and that most studies that “prove” acupuncture effectivity aren’t worth reading because of lack of comparison of “real” acupuncture to “sham” acupuncture.

Before we cite another article that demolishes the “sham” sham, let’s examine some points (no pun intended) yet again.

Firstly, since it is obvious that alternative treatments do provide relief to patients, the powers-that-be can no longer use the “they don’t work” card.  They grudgingly acknowledge that they do make patients feel better but attribute it to being no better than placebo – or that the patient feels better because they THINK they’ll feel better.  The sheer irony here is that by that logic, we can also claim that western medicine works through placebo also.  Yet, for some reason, people are turning to alternative medicine precisely because western medicine doesn’t seem to work for them and their particular condition.  As my friend Noah Mckenna once told me, “just tell the naysayers that (our) placebo works better than (their) placebo”.

Secondly, since studies are indeed popping up proving that Chinese medicine (my thing) does have biomedical reasons for working, and has been shown to work, the next argument that “they” bring up is to critique the studies.  Among the most common whines are “the studies aren’t blinded”, or my favorite “acupuncture wasn’t compared to sham”.  My replies can be summarized in various previous blog entries.  (This Time, Chinese Herbal Medicine May Have Cure for Diabetes, October 15, 2009).  Sure, everyone has seen that back pain study that said sham acupuncture is the same as real acupuncture, but they have forgotten to note that sticking needles anywhere hypothetically can work because according to meridian theory, every square inch of the body is traversed by meridians and collaterals.  The point of using acupoints is that they are more specific in effect than common locus dolendi points.

But the point of this particular blog article was my finding of yet another article comparing acupuncture treatment (albeit with electrostimulation) vs sham.  Here’s the abstract:

Source: Chan, et al.  “Electrical Stimulation of the Wrist for Chronic Neck Pain: A Randomized, Sham-controlled Trial Using a Wrist-Ankle Acustimulation Device” The Clinical Journal of Pain: May 2009 – Volume 25 – Issue 4 – pp 320-326.  Accessed 15 Nov 2009 <http://journals.lww.com/clinicalpain/Abstract/2009/05000/Electrical_Acustimulation_of_the_Wrist_for_Chronic.10.aspx>

Discussion: Electrical acustimulation of the wrist administered as two, 30 minutes sessions /wk added value to standardized neck exercise for chronic neck pain. A 4-week course of treatment produced effects lasting 1-month posttreatment.

I set up a google alert to inform me of news regarding the topics I’m interested in, which obviously includes material I can use for this blog.  Look at the picture above.  Then hear my roar.

The very first line is from an article by the associated press in their newest obviously-big-pharma-sponsored war against natural medicine.  I’ve already blogged about how Big Pharma can present evidence anyway it wants to (http://qi-spot.com/2009/10/19/evidence-based-medicine/), how it may be rampant with (hopefully) isolated fraud (http://qi-spot.com/2009/10/24/vioxx-and-bextra-studies-allegedly-fabricated/) and others.

Now the Associated Press is starting a “series” or articles critiquing natural medicine.  So… imagine my laughter when I saw my google alert.

First line:

Acupuncture is especially hard to research. Positive studies tend to lack comparison groups that have been given a sham treatment. …

Then the very next line cites a study from Yale.  YALE.  This we’ve covered in the entry ( http://qi-spot.com/2009/10/17/lend-me-your-ears-ear-acupuncture-for-back-pain-in-pregnant-women/)

We quote again:

Ear acupuncture might offer a drug-free way to help ease pain in these women, Wang and colleagues say. They randomly assigned 159 women in the 25th to 38th week of pregnancy to receive real acupuncture, acupuncture delivered to points that would theoretically not affect pain in the pelvic or lower back area, and a control group. Every woman was also instructed to use self-care as needed, including resting, taking acetaminophen, and applying warm and cold compresses. (emphasis mine)

“…would theoretically not affect pain…” sounds like a SHAM to me.

Need I remind you of the result:

All of the 152 women who completed the two-week study reported some degree of pain reduction and improvement in their ability to function. A 30% or greater reduction in pain was reported by 81% of women in the acupuncture group, 59% of women in the sham acupuncture group and 47% of women in the control group. The difference between the sham and control groups wasn’t statistically significant.

In laymen’s terms: fake acupuncture was similar in effect to nothing.  Real acupuncture was better.  I can cite SO MANY MORE STUDIES. Just click on other researches I’ve commented on.  Check out the evidence in other cites such as those in my links.

Didn’t the AP just say “Positive studies tend to lack comparison groups that have been given a sham treatment”?  GET YOUR GLASSES FIXED ASSOCIATED PRESS!!!

Oh wait, they’re weasel wording.  “tend to”… Which means if people like me point out they’re misleading people with their statements they can always weasel their way out by saying “ah but we said ‘tend to’”.

Who’s not being scientific now?

God, there are times where I REALLY love being a western doctor.

And that explosion you heard is my sarcasm meter overloading.