Acupressure magnets: a possible MRI hazard

Risks and Safety of Extended Auricular Therapy: A Review of Reviews and Case Reports of Adverse Events

OBJECTIVE

Auricular acupuncture (AA) and extended auricular therapy (AT) are a part of acupuncture practice shown to benefit patients with pain, anxiety, and other conditions, with cost-effective access enhanced when given in a group setting. Yet there are safety concerns and risks, perhaps unnecessary risks, that attend embedded, indwelling needles applied to the ear as a means of extended AT.

METHODS

Electronic searches were conducted in PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) for "auriculotherapy," "auricular acupuncture" or "auricular acupressure," "safety," "adverse events," "chondritis," and "perichondritis," with additional manual review of titles, links, and reference lists. Individual auricular therapy adverse event (AE) case reports were included, as well as systematic reviews and or meta-analyses if they evaluated AEs associated with AT.

RESULTS

Nineteen auricular AE case reports and nine safety reviews of or including auriculotherapy were included. Ten systematic reviews of AT with eight specific reviews of auricular acupressure (AP) were also included.

CONCLUSIONS

The primary AE risks is infection, perichondritis, and chondritis stemming from embedded or indwelling needles or potential inadvertent needlesticks from contaminated roaming sharps. Extended AP i.e., application of spheres, preferably seeds (natural, nontoxic botanical Vaccaria seeds) provides clinical benefit without the risks associated with embedded needles. More research is needed to establish if embedded needles at the ear are even necessary or have any advantage over in-session auricular acupuncture for immediate pain relief followed by ear acupressure.

Ferromagnetic sand: A possible MRI hazard

While the ferromagnetic properties of metallic objects, implantable medical devices, and cosmetics are well known, sand is not generally considered a consequential substance. Beaches in specific geographic regions, including the San Francisco Bay Area, have a propensity for ferromagnetic sand because of their geologic history. We describe a case in which ferromagnetic sand in a patient's hair coated the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner bore and caused significant imaging artifact, fortunately with no harm to the patient. We recommend that MRI facilities in areas where ferromagnetic sand is found consider educating technologists and screening patients for recent black sand exposure prior to scanning.

Contemporary acupressure therapy: Adroit cure for painless recovery of therapeutic ailments

Since time immemorial, complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) have played a significant role in human health care. CAM is known to have a strong reputation and reliability within every culture to provide basic health care treatment for patients. CAM acts as a better therapeutic option in human being for treating various diseases and improving quality of life with apt consideration to the economic aspects. Acupressure, one of the known CAM, originated in ancient China is based on the principal of acupoints activation across the meridians which correct the imbalance between Qi. Activation of specific points on the meridians is known to facilitate reduction of pain at the local sites. It also reduces the pain from other body parts. This review outlines various types, devices and mechanisms involved in the acupressure treatment.