Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies
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Focus Alternat Complement Ther©2005 Pharmaceutical Press
Focus Altern Complement Ther 2003; 8: 99
Reviewed by J Park, Exeter, UK
(A) Musculoskeletal conditions are one of the most promising areas for acupuncture. Several well-designed clinical trials of high quality favoured the use of acupuncture for the management of symptoms including pain. Alongside this emerging evidence, confidence based upon clinical anecdote often seems to be strong enough to continue individual practise.
This translation of the Chinese acupuncture handbook covers the historical literature and experience of the author’s teacher relevant musculoskeletal conditions. Disorders such as headache, migraine, neuralgia, lumbar spondylosis and back pain are included. As a resource book, this is a useful reference for doctors that are seeking a new method of acupuncture treatment for musculoskeletal disorders. Any acupuncturist can try according to the instruction proposed. However, it should be noted that the use of acupuncture for most indications in this book is still not backed up by rigorous clinical studies. I would like to emphasise that this lack of evidence is not the author’s responsibility but is something that all acupuncture researchers should improve in the near future.
Despite the lack of evidence, this book has several attractions, which are (1) prescriptions using a small number of points, and (2) relatively safe points. Therefore, I recommend any acupuncturist to have this book on their shelf.
(B) Many nervous system disorders must have been treated with acupuncture or its peripheries in the East, including China, owing to either their availability or effectiveness. Meanwhile, confidence based upon clinical anecdotes often seems to be strong enough to continue individual practise.
This translation of the Chinese acupuncture handbook describes the clinical experience of treating 57 nervous system-related disorders. Disorders such as cranial nerve disorders, cerebral (vascular) disorders, and spinal nerve disorders are included. It would be a challenge to test the effectiveness of each of the acupuncture prescriptions for the indications suggested as most of the suggested treatments are not yet supported by rigorous clinical studies.
I am concerned that there are not enough safety warnings when the areas of treatments are very risky. In addition, I strongly doubt whether patients in the West are prepared to give their consent at this time to the treatments introduced in the book.
Despite the painstaking efforts of the author, after more than 20 years’ experience of clinical practice, to describe the details of treatment and reaction, this book contains information that is not ready to be distributed to the general public. Therefore, I feel obliged to reserve my recommendation to a wide readership.
It is worthwhile to suggest that all acupuncture points be named according to World Health Organization (WHO) standards such as SJ into TE, and DU into GV.1
