Detailed guides to painful problems, treatments & more

Acupuncture for Chronic Low Back Pain

PainSci » bibliography » Berman et al 2010
updated
Tags: back pain, acupuncture, controversy, scientific medicine, pain problems, spine, mind, debunkery, energy work

Seven articles on PainSci cite Berman 2010: 1. The Complete Guide to Trigger Points & Myofascial Pain2. The Complete Guide to Low Back Pain3. Does Acupuncture Work for Pain?4. T’ai Chi Helps Fibromyalgia, but It’s Not “Alternative” Medicine5. Quackery Red Flags6. Does Fascia Matter?7. Placebo Power Hype

PainSci notes on Berman 2010:

A bizarre and already infamous paper: bizarre because the authors clearly acknowledge that acupuncture is no better than a placebo, and bizarre because they conclude that it should be recommended, and most bizarre of all because it is published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Truly, one of the lowest moments in the history of that famous journal!

The best criticisms of the NEJM’s editorial choices here can both be found on Science-Based Medicine, by Drs. Crislip (NEJM and Acupuncture: Even the best can publish nonsense) and Novella (Acupuncture Pseudoscience in the New England Journal of Medicine). Dr. Crislip’s post is really quite funny.

original abstract Abstracts here may not perfectly match originals, for a variety of technical and practical reasons. Some abstacts are truncated for my purposes here, if they are particularly long-winded and unhelpful. I occasionally add clarifying notes. And I make some minor corrections.

This Journal feature begins with a case vignette that includes a therapeutic recommendation. A discussion of the clinical problem and the mechanism of benefit of this form of therapy follows. Major clinical studies, the clinical use of this therapy, and potential adverse effects are reviewed. Relevant formal guidelines, if they exist, are presented. The article ends with the authors' clinical recommendations.

related content

This page is part of the PainScience BIBLIOGRAPHY, which contains plain language summaries of thousands of scientific papers & others sources. It’s like a highly specialized blog. A few highlights: