Acupuncture
Valid Medical Technique
Or
Lucrative Hoax?
History of Acupuncture
Practiced in China for over 4,000
years
Traditional Chinese medical
technique for unblocking chi
Acupuncture is the insertion of
needles in specific points on the body
These insertion points are believed to
correspond with 14 main pathways
within the body called meridians
Origins of Acupuncture Philosophy
Originates in Taoist tradition (specifically
meditation)
Fu His discovered/created idea of yin and
yang by observing a broken line and an
unbroken line
What exactly is Chi?
Chi is an energy that, according to ancient
Chinese beliefs, permeates all things
Chi must be able to flow freely throughout
the body in order for a person to maintain
overall health
Chi flows along the meridians of the body
Where do yin and yang fit in?
Acupuncture needles are inserted in an
attempt to balance the opposing forces of
yin and yang
Yin and yang are balanced when a person
is healthy and chi is therefore able to flow
freely
Injury or illness cause yin and yang to
become distressed and unbalanced
Originally there were 365 acupuncture
points, but through the years this number
has increased to over 2,000
Each point is believed to correspond with
a particular illness or injury
What is acupuncture used to treat?
Depression Paralysis
Arthritis Hypertension
Kidney problems Tendonitis
Flu Vision problems
Fatigue Sexual Dysfunction
Chronic pain And many others…
Migraines
Is there a medical basis to
acupuncture?
Acupuncture is not based on modern
medical science
There is no obvious correlation between
the 14 identified meridians and the actual
location of organs and nerves within the
body
Some proponents of acupuncture have
attempted to explain its medical function
Possible medical explanations
Stimulation of natural painkilling chemicals
such as endorphins
Needles block the transmission of pain
impulses to the CNS
Research on Acupuncture
Many scientific studies on acupuncture are
still in the early stages
Subjectivity
One controlled study done by Melzack and
Katz compared electroacupuncture of the
ear to placebo stimulation
This study found acupuncture to be no
more effective than lightly touching the ear
in relieving chronic pain
More Research
Three Dutch epidemiologists analyzed 51
controlled studies of acupuncture in 1991
Their conclusion: “…the quality of even the
better studies proved to be mediocre…The
efficacy of acupuncture in the treatment of
chronic pain remains doubtful.” (Kleijnen,
et al)
Research Continued
A study published in 2001 exposed the
inconsistency of the diagnosis and
treatment of acupuncture
Diagnoses as well as the prescribed
treatments varied widely
Of 28 points selected, only 4 (14%) were
prescribed by 2 or more acupuncturists
Why use acupuncture if it has been
proven ineffective?
Many hospitals and doctors that use
acupuncture use it only as complementary
therapy or “last hope” therapy
Example: DUMC
Why do people persist in using
acupuncture?
Although not supported by empirical
evidence, acupuncture is often supported
by anecdotal evidence (which can also
lead to confirmation bias)
Placebo effect
Regression fallacy
Pragmatic fallacy
Confounding treatments
Why can’t we disprove acupuncture
as a valid healing therapy?
Acupuncture theory is flawed at the core
by the fact that it is virtually impossible to
falsify
Chinese beliefs define chi as being
undetectable by the methods of modern
science
If it makes people feel better, does it
matter that we can’t explain why?
Lucrative Indeed!
According to the American Academy of
Medical Acupuncture, approximately 4,000
physicians in the United States have
received training in acupuncture therapy
10-15 million Americans spend ~$500
million per year on acupuncture
1 in 10 Americans have tried acupuncture
But there are risks…
Bladder or lung puncture
Allergic reaction to needles
Infection from unsterilized needles
Fainting
Convulsions
Nerve Damage
Putting off treatments that are known to be
effective