Acupuncture Mechanisms for Pain: from Anesthesiology Journal
Concise summary of the current science behind acupuncture’s pain relieving effects, and a definitive endorsement for its use to minimize potentially dangerous pharmaceuticals. full text here Anesthesiology. 2013 Dec 9. [Epub ahead of print] Mechanisms of Acupuncture-Electroacupuncture on Persistent Pain. Zhang R, Lao L, Ren K, Berman BM. Source From the Center for Integrative…
Read MoreThe Selling of ADHD
The incidence of ADHD diagnosis has skyrocketed as even a casual observer will have noticed. Of course it’s another incidence of “follow the money.” And, of course, these medications are not without their risks. “The numbers make it look like an epidemic. Well, it’s not. It’s preposterous,” Dr. Conners, a psychologist and professor emeritus…
Read MoreUnreliable Research Can Be Deadly
So depressing. Another story about a drug that would cause the problem that it was trying to solve, in this case heart attacks. The company who developed it hid the hazards. November 19, 2013 Doctors Say Heart Drug Raised Risk of an Attack By ANDREW POLLACK Cardiologists have accused a small drug company of withholding…
Read MoreSanity on Statins: Part 4? or is it 5?
Lots of news about the latest recommendations for patients with high cholesterol vis a vis drug regimens. At first I thought it was good news, but now, reading the editorial by Rita Redberg, I realize that these recommendations could actually WIDEN the use of statins. I will leave it to Redberg and Abramson to…
Read MoreScience Gone Wrong: Economist Article
For anyone interested in science, this is a clarion call for better vetting, a change in attitude about what gets published and a plea for less emphasis on “exciting” new findings, and more attention to careful (boring) studies which corroborate previous work. Last year researchers at one biotech firm, Amgen, found they could reproduce…
Read MoreStatins Controversial in the Elderly
More controversy over statins. This time for seniors over 70 with no heart risk. There is evidence of harm linked to statin use in seniors, he added, including muscle aches, liver toxicity and gastrointestinal distress; growing evidence of impaired memory and a heightened risk of diabetes; and some evidence of an increased risk of…
Read MoreStatins Linked to Increase In Catarracts
One more reason to resist statins unless absolutely necessary.
Read MoreQuestioning Steroids for Back Pain
So a new study shows that injecting epidural saline is just as good as injecting steroids for low back pain. I think this should be a rather big deal. This study was painstakingly done reviewing all appropriate studies to date, even taking into account publication bias. The full study here.Epidural_Injections_for_Spinal_Pain__A_Systematic.31 A handy review of what…
Read MoreHormone Use in Menopause Still in Doubt
Traveling ( in Stockholm for the ISAMS conference) so won’t discuss this at length. But noteworthy is how nuanced any advantages of hormone therapy are. Go natural, take herbs and get acupuncture. First, Do No Harm. October 1, 2013 Study of Hormone Use in Menopause Reaffirms Complex Mix of Risks and Benefits By DENISE…
Read MoreAntibiotic Resistant Strains on the Rise
Experts are acknowledging the rise of resistance bacteria and, finally, the overuse of antibiotics, not only in humans but in animals too. Yikes! We’ve talked about the hazards of antibiotics on the blog and in newsletters here, here and here among other posts. Click on the graphic to link to a discussion from the SF…
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