Neil OConnell and Lorimer Moseley just wrote this piece for The Conversation 'Acupuncture research – the path least scientific?' and it triggered some pretty heated debate - The Conversation stopped comments for fear of the abuse getting beyond what they see to be appropriate for the public space.It is indeed amazing to see how fired up and … [Read more...]
Breaking Research News – The sensory cortex is not a brick
August 23, 2011 by 15 Comments
Stuck record time for me again. A new paper in BMC Neuroscience has demonstrated that electroacupuncture or acupressure induces changes in activity in the sensory cortex. Using magnetoencephalography (MEG) researchers have demonstrated that these treatments are reflected in altered activity in the sensory cortex. They go on to conclude that … [Read more...]
Acupuncture, some dodgy maths and a cracking review paper
December 6, 2010 by 49 Comments
I have a challenge for you. Imagine you’re in ancient China and you’ve had this idea that health and disease hang on the flow of energy through invisible energy pathways called meridians that can be manipulated by applying needles in certain specific points. How do you go about systematically validating this theory? How do you know where the … [Read more...]
Location Location Location. Acupuncture and chronic shoulder pain – CAM or Sham?
October 12, 2010 by 12 Comments
Having written a number of posts on acupuncture (see here, here, and here) I guess my particular biases are reasonably apparent. So imagine my surprise when a large RCT published in the journal “Pain” reports a significant and substantial effect of Chinese acupuncture in comparison with sham acupuncture or conventional orthopaedic therapy for … [Read more...]
Acupuncture – the mysterious case of the missing razor
June 7, 2010 by 17 Comments
Acupuncture is all the rage in the treatment of pain. Recent clinical guidelines in the UK recommend it in the treatment of persistent back pain. This decision is somewhat controversial and has led to much discussion, because while the research in back pain suggests people feel somewhat better after acupuncture, it also demonstrates with clarity … [Read more...]
Acupuncture, Adenosine and Cycling Fish
June 3, 2010 by 5 Comments
You may have heard this story as it is all over the popular press right now. We are told that scientists have discovered some of the mechanisms underlying acupuncture analgesia. As always with alternative therapy reports the media have enthusiastically bitten off the hand of the press release (see this great account from the blog stuff and … [Read more...]
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