(Image source: Science Blogs)
BY CHRISTINA HARTMAN
ANCHOR ANA COMPAIN-ROMERO
A new study says acupuncture is safe for kids. Fox News reports...
“Researchers at the University of Alberta studied data from different countries spanning 60 years. They looked at the association between needle acupuncture and the different adverse events in children. Out of 279 adverse effects, 253 were mild, according to the researchers.”
Researchers say the few adverse effects they did find were more likely the result of poor technique as opposed to the therapy itself.
Accupuncture has been around for a few thousand years to treat pain and as a preventative measure for several diseases. It uses thin needles to pierce the skin in specific points in the body. KXAN asks a doctor who employs the technique, how does it even work?
“Now a lot of people are familiar with getting shots like at the dentist with novacaine, or getting the flu vaccine, and we do that all the time and don’t think about it. In this situation we’re putting needles into the body and instead of injecting things we’re mobilizing the body’s own neurochemicals so it’s a very natural and safe type of procedure.”
According to the study -- published in the journal Pediatrics -- 150,000 children around the world already use acupuncture. But ABC News notes, researchers do have concerns.
“Children may also have difficulty following directions or may be uncomfortable with needles, which can present safety concerns since they should remain relatively still while the needles are in their body...”
And MedPage Today echoes researchers’ caution.
“...their review was limited to conventional, English-language reports, therefore perhaps missing other reports in other languages from Japan, China, and elsewhere. The small number of participants included in the reviewed studies limited ability to draw conclusions about the overall safety of pediatric acupuncture...”
The researchers say follow up studies are still needed.
