The August 2007 issue of the Journal of Acupuncture and Tuina Science, Volume 5, Number 4 had a study by Zhang Bi-meng, Wu Yao-chi and Shao Ping entitled “Treatment of lumbar intervertebral disk herniation with electric acupuncture “.

A total of 200 subjects were studied with 100 subjects in the treatment group receiving electro acupuncture and 100 subjects in the control group receiving oral medicine.

The acupuncture treatment group had an effectiveness rate of 86% while the control group had an effectiveness rate of 75%.

The 2009 November 23 edition of Evidence Based Complementary Alternative Medicine contained the study, “Acupuncture Treatment for Plantar Fasciitis: A Randomized Controlled Trial with Six Months Follow-up” written by Zhang SP, Yip TP, Li QS.

The study followed 53 subjects who were divided into 2 groups. An acupuncture treatment group receiving acupuncture at PC 7 (a point specific to heel pain). A control group receiving acupuncture at LI 4 (a general analgesic point). All subjects received 5 treatments per week for 2 weeks.

At the 1 month mark, the following results were measured:

• Morning pain:
  • the acupuncture treatment group had a pain score of 12
  • the control group had a pain score of 22
• Overall pain:
  • the acupuncture treatment group had a pain score of 9
  • the control group had a pain score of 22
• Pain Pressure Threshold:
  • the acupuncture treatment group had a favourable score

The study showed acupuncture to be an effective treatment for plantar fasciitis and illustrated the effectiveness of the point PC 7.

The May 2009 issue of The Clinical Journal of Pain included the results of a randomized controlled trial comparing the use of acupuncture vs corticosteroids for the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome. The study showed positive results favouring acupuncture.

The study followed 77 subjects that were either given acupuncture (8 treatments over 4 weeks) or the corticosteroid prednisone, taken orally, daily for 4 weeks.  Acupuncture proved to have better results for controlling pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness.  Acupuncture had better results for night time awakening and motor function.

Acupuncture also has less side effects and is safer than corticosteroids.  The side effects of a typical medical acupuncture treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome are:

• minor bruising at the needle site that lasts 1 day after treatment
• the sensation of a slight “prick” with the insertion of the needle, but not during the treatment

Here is a list of the side effects of the corticosteroid prednisone:

• increased appetite
• indigestion
• nervousness or restlessness
• darkening or lightening of skin color
• dizziness or lightheadedness
• flushing of face or cheeks
• hiccups
• increased sweating
• sensation of spinning
• Decreased or blurred vision
• frequent urination
• increased thirst
• confusion
• excitement
• false sense of well-being
• hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there)
• mental depression
• mistaken feelings of self-importance or being mistreated
• mood swings (sudden and wide)
• restlessness
• skin rash or hives
• abdominal or stomach pain or burning (continuing)
• acne
• bloody or black, tarry stools
• changes in vision
• eye pain
• filling or rounding out of the face
• headache
• irregular heartbeat
• menstrual problems
• muscle cramps or pain
• muscle weakness
• nausea
• pain in arms, back, hips, legs, ribs, or shoulders
• reddish purple lines on arms, face, groin, legs, or trunk
• redness of eyes
• sensitivity of eyes to light
• stunting of growth (in children)
• swelling of feet or lower legs
• tearing of eyes
• thin, shiny skin
• trouble in sleeping
• unusual bruising
• unusual increase in hair growth
• unusual tiredness or weakness
• vomiting
• weight gain (rapid)
• wounds that will not heal

You have probably heard from all the acupuncture skeptics that research proves that acupuncture doesn’t work because many studies have shown that acupuncture is no more effective than a placebo.

This is a valid point because a control group is needed in any study to compare participants that received no treatment at all, a fake treatment, or other types of treament.  A placebo is usually a fake version of the treatment, but as you can imagine, it is very difficult to give somebody a fake version of acupncture.  In studying a new drug medication it’s easy to give a sugar pill placebo and trick the participant into believing that they are taking real medication. The people giving or taking the pills have no real way of knowing which side of the study they are on, thus producing a double blinded randomized controlled trial or “the gold standard” of research. Also, it is easy to produce a pill that will have absolutely no effect on the patient. With acupuncture it is a bit trickier to produce placebos which can trick both the participant and the clinician.  Even more difficult is to produce a placebo version of acupuncture that has no effect on the patient.  Here are some of the placebos that scientists have come up with:

Fake Acupuncture Points

The first studies typically used standard acupuncture needles but inserted them into points that were not “real” acupuncture points. The problem is that it is hard to find a point on the body that is not somehow an acupuncture point.  There are about 400 classical acupuncture points. In addition, there are also ah-shi points which are acupuncture points that are not standard. Then there are the extra points which have officially been added. Acupuncture is over 3000 years old, but new points are still being discovered and new approaches or techniques are still being developed today. Also, consider that even though acupuncture is most effective if a prescribed acupuncture point is used, being “a bit off” of the exact point location is still effective and yields positive results. The drawback with using real acupuncture needles on “non-acupuncture” points is that the points could possibly be real acupuncture points after all.  Another drawback to using fake points is that it still involves inserting acupuncture needles into the body. This simple act still sets off a chain of hormonal and chemical reactions which could have a profound effect on the body.

The Fake Acupuncture Needle

There is a contraption sometimes used as a sham acupuncture that looks like a tube holding an acupuncture needle that is designed to mimic the look and feel of an acupuncture needle, but which doesn’t actually puncture the skin. The problem here is that the disguise isn’t perfect and the patient and clinician can at times tell the difference. Also, even though the needle is not puncturing the skin, there is still a sensation and a contact that could have an effect. Remember that Traditional Chinese Medicine also has a component called Tui Na Massage which involved massaging the same points and energy meridians as real acupuncture. In other words, Chinese medicine even works without the needles.

Fake Laser Acupuncture

Laser acupuncture can sometimes be used as the sham. This involves using a laser acupuncture light at an ineffective low intensity. This is a very good sham as it still tricks the patient into believing that they are being treated, thus isolating that component from the results. Most importantly it is able to appear as a real treatment without inadvertently treating.

The problem with acupuncture research is not in proving that acupuncture works.  Most studies show that acupuncture in real or sham form produces better results than no acupuncture.  The problem with acupuncture research is actually proving that acupuncture DOESN’T work. Inserting acupuncture needles into non-acupuncture points or stimulating energy meridians with fake needles often yields positive results as they are still a form of acupuncture.

The next time you read an article of how acupuncture is no better than the placebo, try to find out what type of placebo was used.  The placebo might have been acupuncture too.