Thinking about the conclusion of no difference between the acupuncture and sham-acupuncture in the clinically therapeutic effects on migraine abroad
Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2009 Apr;29(4):315-9.
[Article in Chinese]
For the conclusion of "no difference between the acupuncture and sham-acupuncture in the clinically therapeutic effects on migraine abroad", by description of definition of sham-acupuncture (placebo acupuncture), the following principle needed by ideal placebo acupuncture, and definition, parts, functions and clinical effects of shallow needling, whether or not can shallow needling be used as the control method of sham-acupuncture in the clinical acupuncture study are explored, the results indicate that "the called sham-acupuncture (placebo acupuncture)" control method, i.e., "needling acupoints or non-acupoints on the superficial lay of skin with minimal stimulating amount" is very possibly activates the regulative action of the whole body through "superficially needling the skin part", to exert the therapeutic action. Therefore, this control method is not a proper control method of placebo acupuncture, and can not be used as the control method for sham-acupuncture (placebo acupuncture) in clinical acupuncture studies. Thus, the conclusion of "no difference between the acupuncture and sham-acupuncture in the clinically therapeutic effects" made by this placebo acupuncture control method naturally may be overturned.
