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Microacupuncture: Thought I'd Seen It All
"Check this out!"
Charlotte, a feisty 85 year-old neighbor, handed me a clipping from the local senior citizens' toss-away newspaper. Now I know why they call them toss-aways!
The headline read: Microacupuncture Effective for Macular Degeneration. There it was in large bold letters. I was stunned. Microacupuncture? How come I never read anything about it in the eye journals?
Apparently some enterprising alternative healer from Denmark claims to reverse the irreversible damage caused by advanced macular degeneration and other serious eye problems. Specially trained disciples, microacupuncturists, are now spreading the word. Be careful. Be skeptical.
True, traditional acupuncture has been shown to offer relief for many different kinds of health and behavioral problems. It has withstood the critical scrutiny of diligent scientific research. Most experts believe acupuncture stimulates release of powerful neurotransmitters to exert its effect. That is to say, acupuncture works best with neurologic disorders. The tissue changes that occur with Age Related Macular Degeneration involve abnormal blood vessels, bleeding, inflammation and scarring. There is no needlestick to the hand that can make that go away.
What is most worrisome are the anecdotal claims. One promise is that microacupuncture will correct ARMD at any age. They reported success with a 15 year-old. Guess what? ARMD does not occur that early in life. (Remember, it's age-related!) Who knows what eye problem the poor teenager was dealing with: familial drusen, Best's disease, fundus flavimaculatus?
Beware claims of cure-alls that haven't withstood the tests of multiple studies and followed sound medical principles.
Related Topics: Alternative Medicine, Herbals & Supplements, Hospitals Add Alternative Medicine
Technorati Tags: microacupuncture, macular degeneration, ARMD, alternative medicine
Charlotte, a feisty 85 year-old neighbor, handed me a clipping from the local senior citizens' toss-away newspaper. Now I know why they call them toss-aways!
The headline read: Microacupuncture Effective for Macular Degeneration. There it was in large bold letters. I was stunned. Microacupuncture? How come I never read anything about it in the eye journals?
Apparently some enterprising alternative healer from Denmark claims to reverse the irreversible damage caused by advanced macular degeneration and other serious eye problems. Specially trained disciples, microacupuncturists, are now spreading the word. Be careful. Be skeptical.
True, traditional acupuncture has been shown to offer relief for many different kinds of health and behavioral problems. It has withstood the critical scrutiny of diligent scientific research. Most experts believe acupuncture stimulates release of powerful neurotransmitters to exert its effect. That is to say, acupuncture works best with neurologic disorders. The tissue changes that occur with Age Related Macular Degeneration involve abnormal blood vessels, bleeding, inflammation and scarring. There is no needlestick to the hand that can make that go away.
What is most worrisome are the anecdotal claims. One promise is that microacupuncture will correct ARMD at any age. They reported success with a 15 year-old. Guess what? ARMD does not occur that early in life. (Remember, it's age-related!) Who knows what eye problem the poor teenager was dealing with: familial drusen, Best's disease, fundus flavimaculatus?
Beware claims of cure-alls that haven't withstood the tests of multiple studies and followed sound medical principles.
Related Topics: Alternative Medicine, Herbals & Supplements, Hospitals Add Alternative Medicine
Technorati Tags: microacupuncture, macular degeneration, ARMD, alternative medicine
