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Acupuncture practitioners believe that inserting needles into the skin can have biological effects in relieving a variety of symptoms when these needles are placed in precise locations. The location of these needles is determined using the concept of chi that is part of Traditional Chinese Medicine. This theoretical framework consists of the belief that there is a life force in living things that flow through areas known as meridians, and that illness can result when these meridians are blocked. In order for acupunture to work, needles must be placed in specific places according to the position of these meridians.
A recent study found that pain could be alleviated in mice who receive electrical stimulation through the insertion of needles (using a technique called transcutaneous electrical stimulation, or TENS). This study has been widely touted as proof of acupuncture’s efficacy and mechanism. While this study provides interesting data about the ability of injury to relieve pain from a nearby source, it does not provide convincing evidence for the merits of acupuncture. This study was not truly an acupuncture study since it used electrical stimulation, and there is no way to discern if the measured effects were due to the needle itself or to the electrical stimulation. Further, the site of needle insertion in this study was not determined using chi or meridians, but rather due to its proximity to the site of pain. This is not consistent with how acupuncture is actually practiced, and does not prove that needle placements along meridians have any effect.
There have been a large number of clinical trials undertaken to study the effects of Acupuncture. Controlled clinical trials, which include groups that receive “mock” acupunture have not found any significant effect. These trials often include a group that does not receive acupunture at all, and this group tends to do worse than the true acupuncture and the “mock” acupuncture group. This finding is easily explained by the fact that all medical interventions result in some degree of placebo effect. Therefore the act of placing acupuncture needles in specific locations and in a specific manner has not been shown to be effective.
The theoretical underpinning of Acupuncture does not sit on a firm footing. There is no evidence for a life force in living things, nor is there any evidence of the presence of meridians, or of a link between blocked meridians and illness. These ideas run counter to our current understanding of biology and medicine, which is based on centuries of data. There is speculation that the insertion of needles may have various physiological effects independent of chi, which could influence certain symptoms or conditions. However, in light of the studies that have been undertaken this hypothesis is unlikely.
Acupuncture involves needles inserted into the skin at points which are determined using knowledge of a mystical life force which flows through all living beings. The theory underlying this method does not make biological sense, and the clinical trial data that has been gathered has failed to find any evidence of an effect. There is no evidence that Acupunture works to alleviate symptoms of any kind.
Madsen MV, Gotzsche PC, Hrobjartsson A. Acupuncture treatment for pain:systematic review of randomised clinical trials with acupuncture, placebo acupuncture, and no acupuncture groups. BMJ 2009; 338:a3115
Goldman N, Chen M, Fujita T, Xu Q, Peng W, Liu W, Jensen TK, Pei Y, Wang F, Han X, Chen JF, Schnermann J, Takano T, Bekar L, Tieu K, Nedergaard M. Adenosine A1 receptors mediate local anti-nociceptive effects of acupuncture. Nat Neurosci. 2010 Jul;13(7):883-8. Epub 2010 May 30
Critique of Goldman et al: http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p=5437