Stimulated by Lo et al 2019.[1] Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash. This paper caught my eye because I advocate the use of electroacupuncture (EA) in frozen shoulder, but I find it hard to know whether or not I am doing any good. There is little or no controlled trial data in this specific condition, whilst there is … Continue reading EA for frozen shoulder
In regret triggered by the title of Probst et al 2019.[1] This diagram illustrates the anatomical location of piriformis relative to the pelvis, and the characteristic pain referral patterns that form part of the myofascial syndrome. The blue dots on the leg represent tingling that might occur if there is nerve entrapment in piriformis syndrome. … Continue reading Piriformis revisited
Inspired by Garland et al 2019.[1] Selfie in the Ozone Bar on the 118th floor of the ICC tower looking over Hong Kong Island. Thanks to Karen Chan for guiding us to the Ozone layer on this occasion, and to Gill and Dave Keefe for first taking me 4 years ago. This paper popped up … Continue reading CBT-I pips acupuncture in insomnia
Inspired by Dietzel et al 2019.[1] Image by Aarón Blanco Tejedor on Unsplash. This paper was published very recently in the journal Neurocritical Care. I was more familiar with it than you might expect because, on request of the senior author, I had checked the English a couple of times for submissions to different journals … Continue reading SAH headache 2019
Inspired by Nicolian et al 2019 and Vas et al 2019.[1,2] Image by Janko Ferlič on Unsplash. Nicolian et al 2019 is the first paper to report a cost-effectiveness analysis of adding acupuncture to usual care of pelvic girdle and low back pain (PGLBP) in pregnancy. It was a pragmatic open randomised controlled trial with … Continue reading PGLBP or LBPGP during pregnancy
Inspired by Shew et al 2019.[1] Shew et al 2019.[1] This is the first reported case of a spinal epidural abscess as a possible complication of acupuncture treatment in New Zealand. It is the 15th such report I can find in the literature (on PubMed), but this report and most others cannot make irrefutable causal … Continue reading Spinal epidural abscesses
Inspired by Witt et al Clin J Pain 2019.[1] Photo by MC, taken at Kew Gardens Temperate House. This paper is clearly important to consider, despite the limited conclusion of the abstract, since it comes from the ATC (Acupuncture Trialists Collaboration) and involves further analysis of the largest dataset available in the field of acupuncture … Continue reading Do patient characteristics affect acupuncture treatment outcomes?
Inspired by Molassiotis et al Integr Cancer Ther 2019.[1] Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral NeuropathyCIPN Photo by Alexander Krivitskiy on Unsplash. This is the first fully powered RCT of acupuncture in CIPN This is the first fully powered RCT of acupuncture in CIPN (chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy). Alex Molassiotis is an academic from a nursing background who worked at … Continue reading CIPN 2019
Inspired by Chang et al Front Neurosci 2019.[1] Photo by Clint Adair on Unsplash. This paper was published on 20th February 2019, but it did not appear on my PubMed search until last week. The title gives away the story: Peripheral Sensory Nerve Tissue but Not Connective Tissue Is Involved in the Action of Acupuncture.Chang … Continue reading Does connective tissue have any role in the acupuncture effect?
Inspired by Mak et al J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2019.[1] Photo by Mike on Unsplash.Taken from the Sky Tower in Auckland in 2011.Standing on a glass floor at this height generates a degree of anxiety! This paper caught my eye because the title seems to pronounce a definitive negative result to a useful question concerning the … Continue reading Does EA fail in GAD and IBS?
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