Effectiveness of acupuncture confirmed

Scientific proof of the effectiveness of acupuncture

11/09/2012

Although acupuncture is already used successfully in numerous practices for the treatment of chronic pain, skeptics still express doubts about this method of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). One in the journal „Archives of Internal Medicine“ However, the study clearly confirms the positive effect of acupuncture on four different chronic pain conditions.

The research team led by Andrew J. Vickers of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York has evaluated the individual data of almost 18,000 patients from 29 previous studies as part of a metastatic study. The „systematic review of randomized controlled trials“ clearly demonstrate the analgesic effect of acupuncture, the scientists report. Both the control group who received a sham acupuncture treatment and the patients who did not receive acupuncture in addition to routine treatment had confirmed the effect.

Convincing effect of acupuncture
To analyze the effectiveness of acupuncture, the scientists used data from 17,922 patients from 29 older randomized controlled trials. Various areas of chronic pain were covered: osteoarthritis (joint pain), chronic headache, shoulder pain, back pain and stiff neck. In all areas, a convincing effect of acupuncture has been shown. It was more effective than routine treatment and as a fake acupuncture, Vickers and colleagues report in the article „Acupuncture for Chronic Pain: One individual patient data-Meta-analysis“. Although the researchers observed only slight advantages of the actual acupuncture in comparison to the sham treatment, statistically clear differences were also found here. In sham acupuncture, the needling was superficial, outside the known acupuncture points.

Acupuncture for the treatment of chronic pain
According to the researchers „Acupuncture is effective in the treatment of chronic pain and therefore a useful complementary option.“ The differences between the effects of the dummy treatment and the acupuncture also showed that more than one placebo effect was observed. The fact that the sham acupuncture also had a markedly pain-relieving effect could argue that either a very effective placebo is present here or the pinpricks also have a limited effect elsewhere than the traditional acupuncture points, write the Vickers and colleagues.

Important contribution to the scientific discussion about the effects of acupuncture
Professor Klaus Linde from the Institute of General Medicine at the Klinikum rechts der Isar of the Technical University of Munich, one of the study authors, emphasized in a recent press release that „The results for the discussion on the effectiveness of acupuncture are of considerable importance“ are. So far „Research has repeatedly shown that the overall effects of acupuncture treatment are clinically relevant; Whether the right choice of points mattered, however, was controversial“, Linde continues. The current study shows „now, that the choice of points also plays a role.“Even though the differences are small compared to sham acupuncture, they are „very consistent, i. the study results fit well together“, explained the expert. However, on a scientific level, the question arises as to whether the theory of acupuncture over-emphasizes the relevance of exact point selection. „In practice, however, the question does not arise for an acupuncturist whether he should now treat at the right or the wrong points“, supplemented linden. (Fp)

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