Unanticipated Insights into Biomedicine from the Study of Acupuncture.
Journal Article (Journal Article)
Research into acupuncture has had ripple effects beyond the field of acupuncture. This paper identifies five exemplars to illustrate that there is tangible evidence of the way insights gleaned from acupuncture research have informed biomedical research, practice, or policy. The first exemplar documents how early research into acupuncture analgesia has expanded into neuroimaging research, broadening physiologic understanding and treatment of chronic pain. The second describes how the acupuncture needle has become a tool to enhance biomedical knowledge of connective tissue. The third exemplar, which illustrates use of a modified acupuncture needle as a sham device, focuses on emergent understanding of placebo effects and, in turn, on insights into therapeutic encounters in treatments unrelated to acupuncture. The fourth exemplar documents that two medical devices now in widespread use were inspired by acupuncture: transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulators for pain control and antinausea wrist bands. The final exemplar describes how pragmatic clinical trial designs applied in acupuncture research have informed current general interest in comparative effectiveness research. In conclusion, these exemplars of unanticipated outcomes of acupuncture research comprise an additional rationale for continued support of basic and clinical research evaluating acupuncture and other under-researched therapies.
Full Text
Duke Authors
Cited Authors
- MacPherson, H; Hammerschlag, R; Coeytaux, RR; Davis, RT; Harris, RE; Kong, J-T; Langevin, HM; Lao, L; Milley, RJ; Napadow, V; Schnyer, RN; Stener-Victorin, E; Witt, CM; Wayne, PM
Published Date
- February 2016
Published In
Volume / Issue
- 22 / 2
Start / End Page
- 101 - 107
PubMed ID
- 26745452
Pubmed Central ID
- PMC4761810
Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)
- 1557-7708
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
- 10.1089/acm.2015.0184
Language
- eng
Conference Location
- United States