4 ms·

Here's one meta-analysis of RCTs showing benefit for pain in fibromyalgia patients: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6365227/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.n

by sxyuan 4y ago

Here's one meta-analysis of RCTs showing benefit for pain in fibromyalgia patients: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6365227/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6365227/ That's in comparison to a sham acupuncture placebo. And the placebo effect is already pretty powerful. Even in the "no benefit" studies, that's usually in comparison to a sham acupuncture placebo that has a real effect compared to waiting. In terms of pain treatment, I'd say even a safe non-addictive placebo treatment is pretty good, better than getting hooked on opioids at least. I wouldn't get acupuncture hoping for a cure to cancer. But it's not exactly a stretch to think that manipulating nerves with needles will help with pain.

Traubenfuchs 4y ago
It's very unfortunate that this "nerve treatment with needles" for which "some evidence" exists is mashed together with the "pseudo scientific magic spot acupuncture".
scoopertrooper 4y ago
According to that meta-analysis, none of the studies included were properly blinded. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6365227/figure/f2-jpr-12-527/?report=objectonly https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6365227/figure/...
- sxyuan 4y ago
  Almost all of the studies blinded the participants in the outcome assessment. That avoids bias when asking patients about their pain. It's difficult to imagine how you would blind the acupuncturists performing the treatment. I suppose you could have one acupuncturist mark the needle location and another blinded one stick the needle in. But a skilled acupuncturist would probably be unblinded by their own knowledge of where it makes sense for the needle to go. So there is definitely risk of performance bias, but they're sticking needles into patients at predefined points - I don't think it's a very large risk.
News-Dog 4y ago
>fibromyalgia Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS or TNS) : https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transcutaneous_electrical_nerve_stimulation https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transcutaneous_electrical_ne... Fibromyalgia (FM) : https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fibromyalgia https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fibromyalgia

by sxyuan 4y ago

Traubenfuchs 4y ago

It's very unfortunate that this "nerve treatment with needles" for which "some evidence" exists is mashed together with the "pseudo scientific magic spot acupuncture".

scoopertrooper 4y ago

According to that meta-analysis, none of the studies included were properly blinded. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6365227/figure/f2-jpr-12-527/?report=objectonly https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6365227/figure/...

sxyuan 4y ago
Almost all of the studies blinded the participants in the outcome assessment. That avoids bias when asking patients about their pain. It's difficult to imagine how you would blind the acupuncturists performing the treatment. I suppose you could have one acupuncturist mark the needle location and another blinded one stick the needle in. But a skilled acupuncturist would probably be unblinded by their own knowledge of where it makes sense for the needle to go. So there is definitely risk of performance bias, but they're sticking needles into patients at predefined points - I don't think it's a very large risk.

News-Dog 4y ago

>fibromyalgia Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS or TNS) : https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transcutaneous_electrical_nerve_stimulation https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transcutaneous_electrical_ne... Fibromyalgia (FM) : https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fibromyalgia https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fibromyalgia