Sinn und Unsinn der Akupunktur in der HNO

Journal/Book: Deutsche Zeitschrift für Akupunktur. 1992; 35/01: 16-19.

Abstract: Acupuncture has, to date, not been able to establish the place due to it in the ENT field. This sis urely partly due to the fact that the articles which have been published on this subject have not been of adequate scientifc quality. Acupuncture's reputation is harmed by not reporting therapy failures, uncritical diagnoses and elated reports in "story-like" papers; by using acupuncture alone instedad of as an additive; dispensing with qualitative diagnostic procedures; inadequate training in the method on the one hand and, on the other, too much scepticism and lach of knowledge of the limits and possibilities of acupuncture. All articles published in the two mahor German language acupuncutre journals "Deutsche Zeitschrif für Akupunktur" (DZA) and "Akupunktur Theorie und Praxis" (ATP) over the past five years (January 1986- August 1991) were analysed. 14 (6.11%) of the 229 scienrific papers dealt with ENT conditions: 2 were randomised simple-blind trials (14.29%), 3 were retrospective studies (21.43%), 3 were follow-up studies (21.43%), 1 was a case study (7.14%) and 5 papers (35.71%) dealt with diagnostic and therapeutic procedures without any statistical references. ENT conditions dealr with: Vertigo 6x, tinnitus 1x, speech and language of hearing-impaired children 1x, allergic rhinitis 5x, trigeminal neuralgia 1x, "idiopathic" facial paralysis 1x. Acupuncture can be recommended for the ENT conditions: rhinitis allergica, pollinosa, vasomotorica; all stages of sinusitis, especially in children (laser); sinobronchitis; Merniere's disease; trigeminal neuralgia, "idiopathic" facial paralysis; hearing-impaired children; predisposition to infections and neglected infections; acute otits media; spheresthesia. Long-term and elderly tinnitus and vertigo cases do not respond very well to acupuncture therapy, younger patients and those who developed these conditions recently respond more positively. It has been proven that acupuncture as an additive to conventional treatment procedures is able to reduce the amount of medication, shorten the course of disease and ease suffering and pain. Acupuncture is useless if used uncritically as an alternative method with insufficient diagnosis. Facts instead of illusions, open-mindedness, accurate presentation fo clinical studies and a positive, critical attitude towards one's field are prerequisites for an acupuncturist. The collabouration between conventional and complementary medicine is the only way in which acupuncture can be used successfully in the treatment of ENT conditions.

Keyword(s): HNO, Akupunktur, Qualität wissenschaftlicher Arbeiten, kritische Einstellung und Indikationsstellung, erfolgversprechende und Problemindikationen

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