Is pneumothorax after acupuncture so uncommon?
updated
Stenger M, Bauer NE, Licht PB. Is pneumothorax after acupuncture so uncommon? J Thorac Dis. 2013 Aug;5(4):E144–6. PubMed #23991325.
Tags: acupuncture, dry needling, harms, bad news, case, mind, controversy, debunkery, energy work, muscle pain, muscle, pain problems, treatment
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.
Acupuncture is one of the most widely used forms of traditional Chinese medicine often referred to as alternative therapy in the Western World and over the past decades it has become increasingly popular in Denmark. Pneumothorax is known as the most common serious complication following acupuncture, but it is quite rarely reported. During a three-month period two patients with pneumothorax caused by acupuncture were admitted to our department. The purpose of this case report is to increase awareness of this complication, which may not be so uncommon.
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These two articles on PainScience.com cite Stenger 2013 as a source:
- PS Trigger Points & Myofascial Pain Syndrome — A guide to the unfinished science of muscle pain, with reviews of every theory and self-treatment and therapy option
- PS Does Acupuncture Work for Pain? — A review of modern acupuncture evidence and myths, focused on treatment of back pain & other common chronic pains
