Acupuncture and other traditional Chinese medicine news and discussion thread

That was an interesting read. I think those of you fighting the good fight against PACE would find useful material here as the results from trials of acupuncture vs no acupuncture (generally unblinded studies with subjective outcomes) give results a lot like those of PACE and other CBT/GET trials.

An even more extreme example occurred in the CACTUS trial of acupuncture for “frequent attenders” with medically unexplained symptoms.15 In this case, the results showed very little difference even between acupuncture and no-acupuncture groups, despite the lack of blinding and lack of proper controls. But, by ignoring the problems of multiple comparisons, the authors were able to pick out a few results that were statistically significant, though trivial in size. Despite this unusually negative outcome, the result was trumpeted as a success for acupuncture. Not only the authors, but also their university’s public relations department and even the journal editor issued highly misleading statements. This gave rise to a flood of letters to the British Journal of General Practice 16 and much criticism on the Internet.17
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They say “we found evidence that these responses seem to follow a common trend of early rapid improvement in symptoms that slows down and reaches a plateau 6 months after the start of treatment, although the size of response varied widely. We found a similar pattern of improvement in symptoms following any treatment, regardless of whether it was index, active comparator, usual care, or placebo treatment.”

It seems that most of what is being seen is regression to the mean, which is very likely to be the main reason why acupuncture sometimes appears to work when it does not.
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In 2009, the United Kingdom’s National Institute for Clinical Excellence did recommend acupuncture for back pain.19 This exercise in clutching at straws caused something of a furore.20 In the light of National Institute for Clinical Excellence’s judgment, the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine updated its analysis of acupuncture for back pain. Their verdict21 was

“Clinical bottom line. Acupuncture is no better than a toothpick for treating back pain.”
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Most common shoulder operation is no more beneficial than placebo surgery.

Overall, shoulder pain was substantially improved in all three groups from the start of the trial. However, decompression surgery offered no greater benefit to shoulder pain than placebo surgery. The patients in the diagnostic arthroscopy group were no more likely than those in the decompression group to guess that they had had a placebo procedure.
 
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Acupuncture and ME crashes

Because of the issues of dislocations and pain in my joints, due to EDS, I was referred by my go to a physiotherapist. I have been receiving treatment for the last 6 months which has consisted massages of my joints and acupuncture.

A couple of sessions I had used very few points, which helped with the pain and thankfully didn’t have much impact on my ME symptoms. The 3rd session, however, was a bit more intense. Felt a little relaxed/tired after but other than that thought nothing of it. By the next evening I felt terrible and was bedridden for 3 weeks due to a bad ME crash.

At first I couldn’t quite put my finger on why I crashed and the only thing I could think of was acupuncture. I looked online to see if it affected others and I found that a couple of experiences where the same thing happened to them. One woman tried it a second time to test the theory and it affected her the same way as the first time. I have not tried it since, instead just having the deep massages of my joints. Although I have been thinking giving it another go as it did help with the pain.

I was wondering if this happened to anyone else?
 
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Article: Verywell :Acupuncture for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; What Research Shows

Not a recommendation

I haven't been through the scientific links in this article but I suspect that the 'evidence' maybe tenous at best.
Chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is notoriously hard to treat. A growing body of research now suggests, though, that acupuncture may be able to help alleviate some of its many symptoms.

A fair amount of research has been done on this since the early 2000s. Acupuncture isn't a cure and it's not likely to bring complete symptom relief, but, when combined with other treatments, it may be part of a regimen that helps you regain functionality and quality of life.

Many of these studies looked at specific acupuncture points and techniques in relation to certain symptoms or abnormalities linked to the condition. Because those don't mean anything to most of us, they won't be discussed in detail here. However, if you'd like to share them with a practitioner, you'll find links to all of these studies in the Sources section at the end of this article.
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The number and duration of treatments vary by study. A 2009 case study in the same journal shows improvements in being active without fatigue and the overall mental state of the patient after 10 treatments lasting 30 minutes each.1 After another 10 treatments, fatigue and heaviness in the limbs had declined. The patient had a total of 50 treatments and the effects appeared to be lasting at a three-month follow-up.

A 2014 review of medical literature states that there's a high risk of bias in studies of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for ME/CFS; however, researchers said TCM (which included studies involving acupuncture)--alone or in combination with other treatments--appears to be effective at lessening fatigue.2 They call for larger, well-designed studies to confirm the potential benefit.

This appears to be a significant improvement over a 2011 review stating there was limited evidence for the effectiveness of complementary/alternative treatments (including acupuncture) for relieving ME/CFS symptoms.3 Meanwhile, a 2010 review of alternative treatments said acupuncture, along with some types of meditation, show the most promise for future investigation.4

A 2012 study compared the steroid prednisone with an acupuncture technique called coiling dragon as well as an additional TCM treatment called cupping. It suggested that the TCM treatments were superior to the drug when it came to measures of fatigue.5

In at least one study, a technique called warm-needling or moxibustion showed even better results than standard acupuncture when it came to physical and mental fatigue scores.6
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there is the option to vote on the articles content at the bottom (no registration required)
https://www.verywellhealth.com/acupuncture-for-chronic-fatigue-syndrome-715648
 
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Near where I lived in the early stages of ME there was a British acupuncturist who had trained in China. He told me that he cured two thirds of ME sufferers who went to him but could do nothing for the remaining third (including me as it turned out). I knew two other people in the parish with ME. One he cured; the other not.
 
Early on in my illness I went to one acupuncturist one day a week in the evening for about 12 weeks. The following day I would have enough energy to complete errands like shopping and whatnot. Then the following day I would fall back to my baseline.

I had my one 100% remission that lasted two to three days right after an acupuncture session with a different acupuncturist.

I also went to an acupuncture school where I went about 50 times and had no relief other than from some the herbs they gave me. At least the cost was reduced.
 
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Adverts for acupuncture and craniosacral therapy have been banned for making misleading claims about the treatment of long COVID.
A paid-for Facebook ad and an Instagram post for Jo Llewellyn, a craniosacral therapist, included the claim that craniosacral therapists treat long COVID.

Meanwhile, an Instagram post for Peachy Acupuncture said acupuncture and doses of vitamin b12 can "chip away at the fatigue, brain fog and gut issues" the illness causes.

A Facebook ad and website for Serenity Acupuncture, in Bude, also said acupuncture could be used to treat long COVID.

The Craniosacral Therapy Association (CSTA) describes the therapy as "a gentle but potent" treatment in which practitioners place their hands lightly on the patient "using them to listen to you".
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The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) investigated the ads as part of its wider work on long COVID treatments.

The watchdog asked for "robust scientific evidence" that craniosacral therapy could be used to treat long COVID, as it thought anyone who saw the ads might believe the therapy "was an effective treatment".

Jo Llewellyn removed the ads after the ASA contacted them, admitting that they had "underestimated the level of evidence that was required" to make the claims in the ad and the post.

The ASA said in the absence of such evidence, it "concluded the ads were misleading and therefore breached the Code."

Peachy Acupuncture also failed to meet the necessary standard of evidence "required for the type of claim being made", the ASA said.

The company said it was careful not to claim they could cure long COVID, adding that there was "significant evidence" that acupuncture could help reduce symptoms.

But the ASA said Serenity Acupuncture provided a link to a resource by the British Acupuncture Council which admitted it did not have enough data to know if acupuncture was an effective treatment for long COVID.

The ASA said: "In any case, we did not consider that a resource was sufficient evidence to substantiate efficacy claims that acupuncture could treat long COVID."
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Acupuncture advert banned over long COVID claim (msn.com)
 
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So they've been forced to refund all customers who expected that their 'treatment' would cure long covid, and paid money to be cured accordingly, plus forced to pay compensation in the amount of 1 years turnover per defrauded client?

Harsh, possibly could be seen as unfair, but then...so were the hopes raised by their adverts, or so the ASA have deemed.
 
Wonko said:
So they've been forced to refund all customers who expected that their 'treatment' would cure long covid, and paid money to be cured accordingly, plus forced to pay compensation in the amount of 1 years turnover per defrauded client?
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Ha, yes, if only. Where's the down-side? You make the claims and, in the unlikely event that someone complains and the ASA (or equivalent depending on your country) decides the ad is misleading, you just say, 'oh sorry, we know the treatment helps, we just didn't realise how much evidence is required', and stop advertising for Long Covid clients. Meanwhile, you have had people beating a path to your door. Some of those people will have convinced themselves that the treatment helped them feel better, and will tell others. Word of mouth will then ensure that you have all of the new clients that you need, with no advertising cost.
 
I stopped having acupuncture treatments because the results I'd have after sessions were inconsistent, but I'll never forget the 1st session. I went into a profoundly relaxed state and saw in my mind's eye a train in India with passengers who were all cows and humans who were providing services to them. It sounds so much like a Far Side cartoon that it was probably one I had seen and forgotten about, but it was still very entertaining.
 
A lot of posts about ear seeds have been moved to Ear seeds, Acuseeds

******

Copied post




ME Association @MEAssociation
@TheBAcC
:Statement on ear seeds for CFS/ME – Dragon’s Den "At present, we are unaware of any clinical research that has evaluated ear seeds alone for CFS/ME. From a traditional acupuncture perspective, the ear seeds need to be located precisely on specific points. Therefore, it is not possible to self-administer the ear seeds." Read the statement in full here: https://acupuncture.org.uk/news/statement-on-ear-seeds-for-cfs-me-dragons-den/ #pwME #MECFS #MyalgicE #MyalgicEncephalomyelitis #BBC #DragonsDen #EarSeeds #AcuSeeds #Acupuncture #BritishAcupunctureCounci

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https://acupuncture.org.uk/news/statement-on-ear-seeds-for-cfs-me-dragons-den/

Statement on ear seeds for CFS/ME – Dragon’s Den

Back to all news|29 January 2024|

Following the recent episode of Dragon’s Den in which a contestant presented a proposal for an ear seed business the BAcC has received inquiries about this form of therapy and acupuncture for myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).

The current evidence-base: acupuncture ME/CFS

In the last 20 years a considerable amount of research has been conducted into acupuncture. However, the majority of the high-quality clinical trials have investigated chronic pain conditions such as: low back pain, headache, osteoarthritis of the knee and shoulder pain. These have been compiled in individual patient data meta-analysis that indicates acupuncture is effective for these chronic pain conditions, the benefits last for at least a year and is not purely placebo effects (Vickers et al, 2018).

Unfortunately, chronic fatigue syndrome has not been investigated to the same degree. The studies that have been conducted are often of low quality. The vast majority of studies have been conducted in China. This creates an extra layer of difficulty in assessing the relevance of this evidence to people in the UK. The number and frequency of treatments given in Chinese studies is often higher than typically given in the UK. As many people must access acupuncture privately the expense can limit the number of treatments. The recent systematic reviews suggest that acupuncture may be beneficial for those with chronic fatigue syndrome (Factsheet). However, these reviews also note that until high-quality clinical trials are conducted, it is not possible to be confident in these results.

CFS and traditional acupuncture

CFS/ME is a complicated condition. The BAcC represents practitioners fully trained in the traditional theories. This is a holistic practice. A traditional acupuncturist does not base treatment on the diagnosis of ‘chronic fatigue syndrome’ or ‘myalgic encephalomyelitis’. They will take a full case history and arrive at a diagnosis using the traditional theory. This diagnosis is called 证 zhèng. Zhèng is usually translated as pattern. Even for conditions where the signs and symptoms are fairly consistent, such as osteoarthritis of the knee, patients can be diagnosed with different zhèng-patterns. This means that patients with osteoarthritis of the knee we will get slightly different treatments depending on their overall signs and symptoms.

CFS is far more complicated, beside the tiredness there may be other significant symptoms such as pain, headaches, insomnia, flu-like symptoms. A standard Chinese medicine textbook may list 20 zhèng – patterns associated with tiredness, 17 with headaches, and 9 associated with insomnia. Therefore, people with CFS/ME will often receive different treatments. Whilst there is some overlap, different acupuncture points will be selected depending on the pattern. In addition, some of these patterns may require the use of moxibustion not just needles. This is a complicated issue and probably can only be fully understood through studying the traditional theories. However, hopefully, the central point is clear: there is no one-size-fits-all treatment for conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome.

The evidence from China suggests that combinations of acupuncture and moxibustion plus Chinese herbal medicine may lead to the best outcomes. It may well be that an integrated approach, where individuals select the modalities that they find most useful, is the best way forward. However, this level of complexity does not readily fit with the current gold standard research of randomised controlled trials.

Ear seeds and ear-acupuncture

At present, we are unaware of any clinical research that has evaluated ear seeds alone for CFS/ME. The clinical research conducted in China uses body acupuncture as the first line treatment which is often combined with moxibustion. Ear seeds may be used as an adjunct to the acupuncture treatment. From a traditional acupuncture perspective the ear seeds need to be located precisely on specific points. Therefore, it is not possible to self-administer the ear seeds. The advantage of ear seeds is that they are held in place by tape and can remain in the ear for days. Once in place, people can stimulate the points themselves by pressing the seeds.

Conclusion

Unfortunately, due to the lack of high-quality clinical trials it is currently not possible to draw firm conclusions about the benefits of acupuncture for chronic fatigue syndrome. However, the evidence that does exist indicates that acupuncture and moxibustion may have positive benefits.

For those with chronic fatigue syndrome, who are interested in trying acupuncture, we recommend finding a BAcC practitioner who will be able to tailor the treatment to address your ‘zhèng-pattern’. An initial course of four to six treatments should enable you to gauge whether acupuncture is beneficial for you.

To assess the benefits of acupuncture in the UK setting, it is essential that high quality clinical research is undertaken. This will require funding. The British Acupuncture Council is willing to collaborate in research projects with universities, charities, government bodies.



British Acupuncture Council

The British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) guarantees high standards of training, safe practice and professional conduct.

Look for the letters MBAcC after the name of your acupuncturist to be sure of:

  • extensive training – minimum three years degree level – with relevant western medicine including anatomy and physiology
  • adherence to the BAcC codes of safe practice and professional conduct
  • compliance with current health and safety legislation
  • full cover for medical malpractice and public/products liability
  • mandatory continuing professional development to keep knowledge and skills up to date
The BAcC is an Accredited Register with the Professional Standards Authority for Health & Social Care (PSA). The PSA protects the public by overseeing the regulation and registration of healthcare professionals – including statutorily regulated professions, such as the Nursing and Midwifery Council, and Accredited Registers like the BAcC. This offers a quality mark for high standards of training, safe practice, and professional conduct. Statutory regulated healthcare professionals, such as member of the General Medical Council, can use Accredited Register status as an assurance the safety and quality of care provided when making referrals.
 
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Sid said:
Chances of this being true = 0%
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Yes, it looks like a straightforward untruth. And from what people are posting maybe one of many.

In a court of law would have thought advertising something based on actual untruths was fraud.

Of course in recent times that sort of behaviour would get you a peerage if you put a bit of dosh in the fund. But emulating Lady Mone might not be such a good idea by the end of the year.
 
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