Inspired by Llamas Fuentes et al Med Clin (Barc) 2019.[1] Image from an old version of Adam Interactive anatomy. We have another case report of a serious adverse event following acupuncture. This time cardiac damage from needling in the area of the sternum. But my title refers more to my disappointment at the entire lack … Continue reading Heartbreak
Inspired by Shih C-C et al QJM 2019.[1] Immortal Bridge, Mount Tai, ChinaPhoto by https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:PfctdayeliseSky edit by MC – sky from sunset over South Island New Zealand This paper struck me as interesting because of its size, its overlap with previous topics on the blog (VCIND, CHD in RA), but most of all because it … Continue reading Immortal time bias
Inspired by Siqueira et al 2018.[1] A shot from the Ealing half marathon 2018 at around the 9 mile point - my arms were aching after taking over 2k of photos through a heavy zoom lens whilst waiting for my boy (5448) to come past 😀 This paper popped up on PubCrawler this morning. I’m … Continue reading Needling runners’ knees
Inspired by Priola et al 2019.[1] This is the first reported case of a cranial epidural abscess as a likely complication of acupuncture treatment. The report was written by the specialist neurosurgical team under whom the patient was admitted. This is often the case in such unusual and serious adverse events, but it also limits … Continue reading Cranial epidural abscess
Inspired by observation and inequity… and a question from a patient in my clinic yesterday. In 1996 Sackett et al wrote an editorial in the BMJ titled:[1] Evidence based medicine: what it is and what it isn’t. The subtitle ran thus: It's about integrating individual clinical expertise and the best external evidence. Note that individual … Continue reading Too Earnest about Evidence
Inspired by Yang et al 2019 [1] Have you heard of VCIND? This paper attracted my attention principally because I had not come across this acronym before. VCIND stands for vascular cognitive impairment no dementia. VCI is the type of cognitive impairment that commonly accompanies stroke, and it can be a forerunner to the development … Continue reading VCIND
This was a meeting set up at fairly short notice by SAME (La Sociedad de Acupuntura Médica de España). It was an exercise designed to get media attention on the fact that there is a lot of scientific support for the practice of acupuncture. It was successful in that it got onto the national news … Continue reading The Madrid Panel
Inspired by an invitation to present on the topic to politicians in Madrid who apparently want to stop the practice of acupuncture by doctors in Spain - 18 January 2019. I have been lecturing on the scientific perspectives of acupuncture around the globe for over two decades. I have numerous PowerPoint slides to call upon, … Continue reading The problem with sham
Inspired by Liu et al. Mayo Clin Proc 2019.[1] Another huge trial from the team at the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences in Beijing. This follows on from two previous large multicentre trials,[2,3] both of which I have reported on in this blog: https://bmas.blog/2018/10/05/ea-for-chronic-severe-functional-constipation/ and https://bmas.blog/2018/10/11/ea-for-stress-urinary-incontinence/ Having established specific effects of electroacupuncture (EA) in … Continue reading EA vs conventional Rx in MUI
Inspired by Ronel et al Mil Med 2018.[1] My first blog of 2019 and I have been struggling to find inspiration. That is what comes from setting yourself an arbitrary target rather than just waiting for something divine. The former is driven by the modern requirements of a social media presence, and the latter is … Continue reading 20000 needles…
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