03/13/2015
Very interesting finding from my beloved Tufts University on comparing various treatments for knee osteoarthritis via meta-analysis of 137 studies (some unpublished, which reduces publication bias!). No surprise to me that Tylenol was the least effective medication for pain. They even mentioned acupuncture and how interesting it is that "sham" acupuncture methods produce pain relief. They only mentioned one sham method, which is inserting needles at non-acupuncture points. As I mention in my lectures on acupuncture analgesia, this sham is not inert because we know through research that the body produces endogenous opioids (natural pain relievers) when a needle is inserted regardless of the location. It's great that there is so much interest in discovering the best strategies to help get people the pain relief they need!
Maybe you “trust Tylenol” or (like this writer) you’re “all Advil.” Research proves that both painkillers work, but many of us, including our doctors, can’t help but have a preference shaped by experience and perhaps even advertising. Which really does work better?
