Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese traditional practice in which thin needles are inserted into the skin at varying depths and areas associated with different aliments. Acupuncture can be used to treat multiple disorders including anxiety, pain, asthma, acne and arthritis. Treatments often times last anywhere from 20-30 minutes and can be performed multiple times a week or once a month depending on the severity of the ailment you are seeking treatment for. In order to become an acupuncturist, one must complete a masters level program that typically takes 3-4 years to complete. This program must be completed at a school that is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM) and must pass a state licensing board (Acupuncture & Massage College).
As acupuncture begins to become more popular and the field begins to grow, more people are utilizing acupuncture to aid in he treatment of allergies. Allergic rhinitis (AR), also known as hay fever, is a type of inflammation in which individuals suffer from nasal hypersensitivity due to common allergens including grasses, weeds and animal dander (Feng et al, 2015). A common alternative treatment to help alleviate nasal congestion, and sneezing is acupuncture. Acupuncture has been utilized due to its ability to modulate cytokines and inflammation when stimulated at specific points on the body (Feng et al, 2015).
A double blind randomized controlled trial completed in 2018 tested the efficacy of acupuncture for persistent allergic rhinitis (PAR) in which the difference between groups was the depth at which the needle of inserted (Mi et al, 2018). 61 patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups, acupuncture or sham acupuncture. Treatment was administered twice a week for four weeks and participants were instructed on how to utilize score cards to rate their symptoms (Mi et al, 2018). After completion of the four weeks, total nasal symptom score was measured including sneezing, nasal obstruction with inhalation and rhinorrhea (runny nose). Results from this study concluded that nasal obstruction and sneezing improved after the second week and sneezing improved after four weeks in the real acupuncture group compared to the control group.
However, there is no clear evidence that acupuncture works beyond providing a placebo effect, and utilizing it as a treatment needs to be further researched. A majority of the studies completed have not been replicated and consistent conclusions have not been reported. Given this information, do you think that acupuncture should be recommended as a therapeutic option to patients who suffer from AR? Are there any ethical dilemmas to consider?
References:
Acupuncture & Massage College. (n.d.). How to Become a Professional Acupuncturist. Retrieved December 2, 2019, from https://www.amcollege.edu/blog/how-to-become-an-acupuncturist.
Feng, S., Han, M., Fan, Y., Yang, G., Liao, Z., Liao, W., & Li, H. (2015). Acupuncture for the treatment of allergic rhinitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. American journal of rhinology & allergy, 29(1), 57-62.
Mi, J., Chen, X., Lin, X., Guo, J., Chen, H., Wei, L., & Hong, H. (2018). Treatment of persistent allergic rhinitis via acupuncture at the sphenopalatine acupoint: a randomized controlled trial. Trials, 19(1), 28.
It's great to hear that there is research into the efficacy of alternative treatments. I think the ethical concerns that should be address are the possible harmful affects of acupuncture. I found an article that discusses some of the possible side effects including even death if a vital organ is punctured (Ernst, E., 2010). The article however says that there is not much research to know the true risk of the occurring. I think until there is strong evidence of the efficacy and the risks, we should not recommend acupuncture as evidence based practitioners. However, if there is enough research that shows very minimal risk for acupuncture I would recommend patient's to try acupuncture. Even if acupuncture is a placebo affect I would say, "do more of what works."
ReplyDeleteReference:
Ernst, E. (2010). Acupuncture – a treatment to die for? Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 103(10). doi: 10.1258/jrsm.2010.100181