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Boston Children’s Hospital fully endorses pediatric acupuncture with propaganda that is full of inaccurate information: https://www.childrenshospital.org/conditions-and-treatments/treatments/acupuncture
I’ll go through this lie by lie. Sigh.
I’ll go through this lie by lie. Sigh.
“Acupuncture refers to the insertion of tiny, hair-thin needles into the skin at strategic points to ease pain and treat many illnesses.”
Strategic = completely made up and based on no legitimate evidence.
Many = zero.
Strategic = completely made up and based on no legitimate evidence.
Many = zero.
“Practiced in China for more than 2,000 years, acupuncture is based on the belief that the body contains energy called qi (pronounced "chee") that flows throughout the body on pathways called meridians.”
This is fiction designed for marketing nonsense. Beliefs aren’t evidence.
This is fiction designed for marketing nonsense. Beliefs aren’t evidence.
Acupuncture as we know it is several decades old. There were no filiform steel needles 2,000 years ago. Back then, there was bloodletting by hammering metal spikes into locations based on astrology. Mao took an old peasant belief system and reinvented it in 50’s as TCM.
“When you're healthy, this energy flows freely, but during illness, the energy may be weak or blocked.”
Sounds testable. Yet there is no plausible scientific definition of this “energy” and no direct or even indirect evidence exists.
Sounds testable. Yet there is no plausible scientific definition of this “energy” and no direct or even indirect evidence exists.
“Scientific research suggests needling acupuncture points stimulates the body to release chemicals into the nervous system and bloodstream...and trigger the release of other substances that influence the body's internal regulatory systems.”
Vague and meaningless.
Vague and meaningless.
There are studies purporting to show that acupuncture causes various changes in levels of this or that chemical in the body, but none that reliably link these to health improvements. They amount to trying to find the explanation for a phenomenon that is unproven and implausible.
“Acupuncture has proven successful in treating chronic pain conditions without side effects.”
Acupuncture has not been shown to treat any condition. There is no treatment that alters human physiology without the potential for side effects. None.
Acupuncture has not been shown to treat any condition. There is no treatment that alters human physiology without the potential for side effects. None.
“Infants as young as 3 weeks old can undergo acupuncture therapy.”
Why not 2 weeks, or a newborn? That’s an arbitrary cutoff. Regardless, it is very sad that such a prestigious academic institution would be okay with exposing infants to quackery.
Why not 2 weeks, or a newborn? That’s an arbitrary cutoff. Regardless, it is very sad that such a prestigious academic institution would be okay with exposing infants to quackery.
“The acupuncturist will also examine your child's tongue and checks the pulse in both wrists.”
These are subjective assessments not based in any legitimate science that don’t correlate with illness. There is also very poor inter-rater reliability with such assessments.
These are subjective assessments not based in any legitimate science that don’t correlate with illness. There is also very poor inter-rater reliability with such assessments.
“The biggest challenge in pediatric acupuncture is addressing children's fear of needles.”
And it is unethical to traumatize children in the name of demonstrably false pseudomedicine. BCH should know better.
And it is unethical to traumatize children in the name of demonstrably false pseudomedicine. BCH should know better.
“The majority of patients have weekly sessions for 4 to 6 weeks and then return for monthly follow-ups.”
Conveniently long enough for self-limited problems to resolve, symptoms to regress to the mean, or other treatments to work.
Conveniently long enough for self-limited problems to resolve, symptoms to regress to the mean, or other treatments to work.
“Despite the documented benefits of acupuncture therapy, some insurance companies do not yet recognize its value.”
They don’t want to pay for bogus treatments.
They don’t want to pay for bogus treatments.
“The advantage is that the physician is able to integrate both conventional medicine and acupuncture to treat illness.”
Adding horse shit to apple pie doesn’t make the shit taste better, it makes the pie taste worse.
Adding horse shit to apple pie doesn’t make the shit taste better, it makes the pie taste worse.
