Drs Martin & Sue Allbright
'Blending an ancient medical approach of mind and body with modern health'
Classical Acupuncture
Many years ago in the late 1970’s when I was a junior doctor, I read a book about acupuncture (which I wish I could remember the detail there of) in which a Japanese doctor made a statement that he thought he observed those of his patients who received regular acupuncture (before the Hiroshima bomb) survived the radiation effects of the bomb better than those who had not received any acupuncture.
Now almost 80 years on since the end of the WW2 and research is discovering that acupuncture may potentially have health prevention benefits.
Since 2017 in Taiwan (T) and 2019 in South Korea (SK) retrospective cohort studies have been regularly published. Yes they are observational and do not provide concrete proof about acupuncture and I will say more about this below.
Background information. Taiwan has a population of almost 24 million. From the national health database a register of almost 1 million people has been created for research purposes. Within this group researchers have analysed whether acupuncture may have benefits for various health illness situations.
From these studies we have the following observations that acupuncture may:-
- Decrease the risk of coronary heart disease in patients with fibromyalgia (T)
- Decrease the risk of coronary heart disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (T)
- Decrease the risk of stroke in patients who are suffering with depression (T)
- Decrease the need for cervical (neck) surgery in patients with neck pain (SK)
- Decrease the need for knee surgery in patients with knee osteoarthritis (SK)
- Decrease the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease in patients who have depression (T)
- Decrease the risk of developing a stroke in patients with fibromyalgia (T)
- Decrease in the number of major cardiovascular events in patients who have high blood pressure (SK)
- Decrease the death rate, readmission or reoperation following hip fracture surgery (T)
- Decrease the need for shoulder surgery (acromioplasty) in patients with shoulder pain (SK)
- Decrease the number of fractures in people who have osteoarthritis (T)
- Decrease the risk of developing hypertension in people who are suffering with chronic urticaria (T)
- Decrease the risks of developing a stroke in patients who have migraines (T)
- Decrease the risk of developing dementia in patients suffering with insomnia (T)
- Decrease the risk of developing pressure ulcers in patients who have dementia (T)
- Decreases the risk of developing depression in patients who are suffering with primary dysmenorrhoea (T)
- Decrease the risk of getting a recurrence of Bell’s Palsy with early intervention of acupuncture (SK)
- Decreased the risk of stroke in people with insomnia patients; and the more sessions they had led to greater reductions. (T)
It would be better if the studies could be carried out prospectively however, the chances of any similar research studies being carried out like this are pretty well zero because of a) the numbers involved and b) the length of time the researchers observed which were frequently 8-
One of the main criticisms we can make about these observational studies is that when we select a population of people who are having acupuncture are we also selecting a group of people who are primarily wanting to be proactive and healthy. The database is unable to hold data on the amount of exercise the people are having, or their dietary status etc. and this may be a significant factor especially in say the primary dysmenorrhoea study where exercise and diet may play a significant role in this younger population. We cannot rule it out. However the more of these studies that are carried out the more convincing the data becomes for acupuncture in the prevention of ill health.
Thousands of years ago as recorded in the ancient Chinese classics acupuncture was described as being preventative.
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Does having regular acupuncture help prevent or reduce the development of illnesses?
